Jehovah transfusion deemed lawful

A hospital acted lawfully in sedating and giving blood to a woman who refused the treatment after a haemorrhage, the Republic's High Court has ruled.

The woman, a Jehovah's Witness, did not want the transfusion for religious reasons after giving birth at Dublin's Women's Hospital last September.

The High Court granted the hospital an order to go ahead with the treatment.

On Friday, the High Court dismissed the woman's claim her rights were breached and the transfusion was an assault.

The court upheld its earlier decision.

The treatment took place on 21 September 2006, after the 24-year-old woman known as Miss K suffered a massive haemorrhage after having a baby boy.

The case began in October last year and finished in January.

On Thursday, the courts ruled that anaemic twins to be born this week should get a blood transfusion, despite the wishes of their parents, who are also Jehovah's Witnesses.

The Jehovah's Witnesses subsequently appealed to hospitals to meet their representatives with a view to establishing a protocol where a blood transfusion has been recommended to a member of their community.