Blood or Belief : The Ethics of Life-Saving Health Care for Jehovah’s Witness Patients

One of the most debated ethical dilemmas that workers in the healthcare industry are faced with is the one between a doctor's job to save lives and a patient's religious beliefs. Members of the Jehovah witness branch of christianity refuse blood transfusions because of their religious beliefs, even if such a transfusion is necessary to save their life (Muramoto). This forces healthcare workers to be faced with an ethical conflict : Should a doctor respect a patient’s religious beliefs and let them refuse treatment, even if it ultimately leads to their death, or should a doctor prioritize…