Jehovah’s Witnesses End Decades-Old Ban On Major Blood Components

The Governing Body of Jehovah’s Witnesses has announced a major policy update, allowing individual members to decide whether to donate or receive the four main components of blood.
 
The decision was published on the organisation’s official newsroom on Friday, September 18, 2026. Under the new directive, accepting or donating red blood cells, white blood cells, plasma, or platelets is now classified as a matter of personal conscience.
 
For decades, the global religious group has maintained a strict prohibition against blood transfusions, with members refusing the procedure during medical emergencies based on biblical interpretations.
 
While the transfusion of whole blood rem...