Blood transfusion: Letter of Understanding

by Marvin Shilmer 37 Replies latest jw friends

• 

  jgnat

  I understand, lp, that these interventions are medically necessary. I am grateful that many JW's, away from the prying eyes of the HLC, allow the medically necessary to take place.

  Nevertheless, if the medical community can bend a little to allow a non-confrontational approach, it is less distressing for everyone.

  We have the tragic example here in Alberta of Bethany Hughes, who eventually earned the status of mature minor and refused any further blood transfusions to extend her life. The whole thing was horrible. At the end, the father was estranged from his family and his daughter.
• 

  l p

  Really what is wrong here Ignat is that the WTBTS should stick its nose out of other peoples private confidential medical information.

  As a patient advocate we should have those interfering and manipulating a patient removed from the clinical setting to allow for proper counselling of the patient to make an informed decision freely. - this is for an adult.

  The society knows the legal obligations of the health system. But what have they done???? They have manipulated the health systems time into making further steps that requires time and resources to be wasted in an everly functioning system running in the red. They should not be allowed to add further non-necessary work that does not change practice which will have overall effects on the health system and other patients.

  I just spent last year studying at the Ministry of Health here studying the application of six sigma and LEAN principles which on a basic level requires doing process mapping of each of the steps along the way in a patients care. Then to remove unncecessary steps that do not have any influence on care so that valuable resources aren't wasted. This is about trying to make the health system more efficient and sustainable as the funding is always being cut.

  To my way of thinking they need to be told to bugger off and stop creating trouble at their bloody boasting sessions and just tell parents that the children will be given a blood transfusion if required. This would stop it all.

  As for the mature minor - this has no bearing on this letter as the mature minor rule is also used for other care young ones may seek that they do not want their parents knowing etc. If a young one is deemed mature then it is their right to decide for themselves. I would have a child assessed by a psychiatrist to assess for maturity and clarity of thought free of manipulation of parents before deeming the child 'a mature minor' - but hey im not a judge...

  Lp
• 

  Marvin Shilmer

  -

  “Really what is wrong here Ignat is that the WTBTS should stick its nose out of other peoples private confidential medical information.”

  l p,

  Of course the problem is the Watchtower sticking its nose into other people’s confidential business. No one disputes that.

  But until Watchtower stops sticking its nose into folks confidential medical affairs this Letter of Understanding represents a method of moving the stinkers to the sidelines sooner and with less drama and collateral damage for parents and child patients, which helps service providers such as yourself. Your patients already have enough to worry over. This Letter of Understanding is a means by which to remove needless worry and drama for patients and their parents so they can focus on what really matter: the health and welfare of their sick child.

  I know it grinds on you. It grinds me too. But until Watchtower desists from enforcing its blood taboo under pain of its harsh organized communal shunning program this form is a good thing when it comes to Jehovah’s Witness parents with children in the healthcare system.

  At the end of the day all this form does is document that the parent knows their child will be given blood transfusion if in the view of treating physicians it’s necessary. This document is a small price to pay to get Watchtower to move on and leave suffering parents and sick children alone to make their own choices.

  Marvin Shilmer
• 

  Marvin Shilmer

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  “If a physician gave a JW child a transfusion, would the parents know about it, or are the parents agreeing to 'look the other way' while the Dr does what he needs to do to save a child?”

  ScenicViewer,

  Doctors are ethically bound to inform parents what treatment they administer to a child, including transfusion of blood and blood product.

  The Letter of Understanding instrument is by no means a matter of looking the other way. To the contrary, its primary purpose is for each signatory to go on record acknowledging what is about to happen.

  The facility acknowledges the JW patient/guardian’s personal belief about blood transfusion. The JW parent/guardian acknowledges they are letting the facility treat their child and if physicians decide it necessary the child will be transfused with blood.

  Watchtower has instructed its appointed Hospital Liaison Committees to encourage adoption and use of this instrument.

  Marvin Shilmer
• 

  Justitia Themis

  I think the Letter of Understanding and HLC’s willingness to cooperate is due to a clarification of Canadian law and not a softening the JW blood prohibition.

  The article specifically states that the Ethics Committee discussed the “relevant” case of AC v. Manitoba. That case established the bright-line rule that in Manitoba, British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Quebec, and Newfoundland, the court—not physicians—must decide whether or not a child under the age of 16 may refuse life-sustaining treatment. Since this case was “relevant,” I suspect this hospital was in one of those provinces. Therefore, the HLC had nothing to lose because if the hospital wanted to transfuse, the case would automatically obtain judicial review and more bad press.

  Other Canadian provinces examine the minor’s capacity to consent (or refuse) treatment as opposed to the minor’s age.
• 

  BroMac

  (Posted before Justitia Themis above)

  wow. thanks Marvin.

  much kudos for sourcing this form.

  is this implemented in the UK? it is not something I have heard of.
• 

  Marvin Shilmer

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  Justitia Themis

  Thanks for your contribution.

  Nothing in Canadian law suggests the Watchtower organization could not continue disputing these cases with legal filings. If they wanted to they could and would. But they don’t want to.

  The Letter of Understanding approach is the result of the Watchtower organization being compelled to soften its position because of at least three things.

  1. Watchtower’s attempts at litigation through Canadian courts have been beaten to a pulp. At this point were Watchtower to persist in litigation the courts would have little choice but to conclude Watchtower was wasting the courts time and respond to it accordingly. Watchtower has lost its fight in the courts.

  2. Watchtower’s attempts at litigation through Canadian courts has resulted in such damning publicity that to continue this approach would reduce the image of Jehovah’s Witnesses to a point where no one would want to listen to them, including the small fringe that does so now. Watchtower has lost its fight in the public media.

  3. All this publicity has emboldened (if not trained!) parents among Jehovah’s Witnesses to confidentially accept blood transfusion for their sick children. Watchtower is losing the fight to keep Jehovah’s Witnesses in line.

  Watchtower has little choice but to advocate this softened Letter of Understanding approach.

  And, honestly, at this point anything Watchtower can do to extract itself from problems consequential to its blood taboo is fine with Bethel. That’s been their aim for decades.

  Don’t overlook this significant point: what’s okay for Jehovah’s Witnesses in Canada is, from Watchtower’s doctrinal perspective, okay for Jehovah’s Witnesses everywhere. Right?

  Marvin Shilmer
• 

  BroMac

  (unless you live in Malawi). But yes you are right, If I were to present this form here in the UK as proof that other Witness families have signed it with the approval of the HLC, and therefore Bethel. So too can I. Or Bro Elder do we have rogue HLC operating in Jehovah's Organisation?
• 

  moshe

  One again we see the duplicity of the Watchtower leaders in this confidential letter of understanding-

  thank you-
• 

  ScenicViewer

  @ Marvin Shilmer,

  Thank you for the explanation to my question!

  I like your summary of why this is happening the Society is softening on the blood issue,

  1) Watchtower is losing the fight

  2) Watchtower is losing the fight

  3) Watchtower is losing the fight