The leadership of Jehovah’s Witnesses has issued a fresh clarification to its long-standing teaching on blood, allowing members to make personal decisions about the use of their own blood during medical procedures.
In a video message released on Friday, Gerrit Lösch said the update is aimed at giving adherents “the freedom to make personal decisions” regarding how their own blood may be handled in the course of treatment.
While the denomination continues to prohibit transfusions involving another person’s blood, Lösch explained that the Bible does not explicitly address the medical use of a patient’s own blood.
“For matters involving the use of one’s own blood, each Christian must decide how it will be handled during a surgical procedure, medical test or therapy,” he said.
The clarification represents a careful but notable shift, placing greater emphasis on individual conscience. 
For many Jehovah’s Witnesses, decisions around medical care are deeply intertwined with faith, often requiring thoughtful consideration in complex or urgent situations.
Lösch noted that several procedures involving a patient’s own blood are already commonly accepted among members.
These include routine blood tests, heart-lung machine support, kidney dialysis and cell salvage techniques, in which blood is collected and returned to the patient during surgery.
Under the updated guidance, members may now choose whether their blood can be removed, stored and reinfused as part of treatment. However, the organisation stressed that such decisions remain a personal matter, with room for differing convictions.
“Some Christians may feel they can accept these procedures, while others may object, Each individual must make a personal decision based on their understanding of the Scriptures” ..Lösch said
The long-standing prohibition on receiving another person’s blood remains unchanged and continues to be a central teaching of the faith.
This position is rooted in biblical passages from Genesis, Leviticus, Deuteronomy and Acts of the Apostles, which adherents interpret as a command to abstain from blood.
For many followers, the clarification may provide a degree of reassurance, particularly in medical emergencies where swift decisions are often required.
At the same time, it highlights the ongoing balance between religious belief and personal choice an issue that continues to shape the everyday experiences of Jehovah’s Witnesses around the world.
