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Surgical treatment of gastric carcinoma in Jehovah’s witness. Case and legal analysis of the situation
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Abstract
It is estimated that 7.965.954 live in the world of Jehovah’s witnesses and about 250 thousand in Poland. Jehovah’s witnesses undergo therapies recommended by doctors and take medications as recommended by them but limit them is a blood transfusion. Jehovah’s witnesses believe that blood transfusion and its components is incompatible with the law of God. Medical staff need to know that the patient’s rights in Poland are protected by both international and domestic law. Transfusion of blood and its components against the will of Jehovah’s witness causes a violation of its autonomy and the doctor puts the responsibility enshrined in the code of civil or criminal penalties. The authors of this article presents the case of a patient — Jehovah’s witness — operated for gastric carcinoma. The article focuses on the discussion of the legal aspects related to treatment patients who refuse blood and its components transfusion.
Abstract
It is estimated that 7.965.954 live in the world of Jehovah’s witnesses and about 250 thousand in Poland. Jehovah’s witnesses undergo therapies recommended by doctors and take medications as recommended by them but limit them is a blood transfusion. Jehovah’s witnesses believe that blood transfusion and its components is incompatible with the law of God. Medical staff need to know that the patient’s rights in Poland are protected by both international and domestic law. Transfusion of blood and its components against the will of Jehovah’s witness causes a violation of its autonomy and the doctor puts the responsibility enshrined in the code of civil or criminal penalties. The authors of this article presents the case of a patient — Jehovah’s witness — operated for gastric carcinoma. The article focuses on the discussion of the legal aspects related to treatment patients who refuse blood and its components transfusion.
Keywords
Jehovah’s witness, blood, law, gastric carcinoma
About this articleTitle
Surgical treatment of gastric carcinoma in Jehovah’s witness. Case and legal analysis of the situation
Journal
Chirurgia Polska (Polish Surgery)
Issue
Pages
97-102
Published online
2015-10-15
Page views
940
Article views/downloads
5143
Bibliographic record
Chirurgia Polska 2014;16(2):97-102.
Keywords
Jehovah’s witness
blood
law
gastric carcinoma
Authors
Konrad Wroński
Andrzej Lachowski
