This discussion from 2008 is not particularly revealing. Participants openly discuss how the JW patient population has been and can be useful in analyzing various novel hematological strategies and products against current treatment options when a current treatment option is not considered optional by that patient population.
The long and short of it is Watchtower has and asserts a doctrinal position with a consequence that a substantial population of JWs refuse particular current treatment options even when it might lead to avoidable mortality or morbidity. Researchers do not create this scenario, and most vehemently reject it as irrational. But on the other hand researchers are willing to exploit this reality in order to learn what they can of novel strategies and/or products the same patient population will accept as an option. By "exploit" I do not suggest researchers unethically expose patients to needless hazard. Rather, researchers see patients that are likely to die if something is not done and they offer an option that though experimental is no more likely to lead to mortality or morbidity than refusing whatever treatment option is being refused.
It just happens to be the case that when it comes to hematological medical strategies and products, military institutions are very interested for obvious reasons. Soldiers in combat are subject to hemoragh and military institutions want to keep solders alive to fight another day, and hopefully go home to famlies when the fighting is over.
