Associated Press, “Jehovah’s Witnesses ease policy on transfusions, allowing storage and use of one’s own blood”
““Each Christian must decide for himself how his own blood will be used in all medical and surgical care.””
AP attributes the statement to Governing Body member Gerrit Lösch, who said ‘the Bible does not comment on the use of a person’s own blood in medical and surgical care’. The report notes the longstanding ban on transfusions from other donors remains, quotes the 2000 Watchtower (‘we do not donate blood, nor do we store for transfusion our blood’), and quotes former member Mitch Melin: ‘From my perspective, it doesn’t go far enough.’
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Provenance and verification note for Associated Press, Jehovah’s Witnesses ease policy on transfusions, allowing storage and use of one’s own blood
Confidence note. The apnews.com page could not be opened by our automated tools; the syndicated copy on ksat.com (same AP text, byline and date) was opened on 19 September 2026 and the wording confirmed.
Corroborated by. src-jw-2026-0320-gbu2, src-aabb-2026-0324
Notes. The ‘alternative copy’ link is a licensed syndication of the same AP story, not an archive.
Accessed. 19 September 2026 · Source ID. src-ap-2026-0320-own-blood