REFUZUL TRANSFUZIILOR DE SÂNGE ÎN CAZUL PACIENȚILOR MINORI, MARTORI AI LUI IEHOVA. IMPLICAȚII PRIVIND MALPRAXISUL MEDICAL

In principle, except for the emergency situations, it is requested the consent from the parents in order to apply a medical treatment to the minor patient, being essential the minor’s interest and the protection of the minor, of his life and health. In the study there are analysed the legal consequences of having a medical malpractice case for the deed of a physician who, in some situations, applies to a minor patient who is part of the Religious Organization „Jehovah’s Witnesses”, a religious cult recognized by the law in Romania, a treatment based on the blood transfusion, provided that there is a refusal of the parents, who are Jehovah’s Witnesses, on religious grounds1. Jehovah’s Witnesses refuse the treatment based on transfusions of allogenic blood. It must be pointed out the difference between the major person, who is part of the Religious Organization „Jehovah’s Witnesses”, who refuses blood transfusion treatment, requesting treatments alternative to blood transfusion, based on the principle of self-determination and individual autonomy, and the situation involving a refusal of the treatment from the parent for the minor patient (who can not give an informed consent, either because he has no discernment, being under 14 years old, or because he is in the growing up process, 14–18 years old), who is sometimes in a medical condition with risks to his or her health or life, and the physician appeciates that medical treatment based on blood transfusion must be administered, even against the refusal of the minor’s parents, with risks of engaging his liability for medical malpractice.