Jehovah's Witnesses relax rules on blood components, keep whole-blood ban

Jehovah's Witnesses have significantly relaxed their longstanding policy on blood transfusions, allowing individual members to decide based on personal conscience whether to accept or donate four primary blood components. The organization's Governing Body announced the adjustment on September 18, 2026, marking the second major change to its blood-related medical policy this year. Under the revised position, members may now personally decide whether to accept red blood cells, white blood cells, plasma, or platelets from another person's blood during medical treatment. The organization also stated that members may decide whether to donate blood specifically for the purpose of having its components or fractions used in the treatment of another person. However, the development does not represent a complete abandonment of the religion's position on blood transfusion. The organization stressed that its longstanding refusal of whole-blood transfusions remains unchanged, continuing to base the position on its interpretation of the biblical command to abstain from blood. The announcement follows another significant adjustment made by the organization in March 2026.