A young boy suffering from severe burns may be given a blood transfusion after a judge ruled yesterday that his devout parents' views would not be taken into account.
Mr Justice Moylan decided that it was in the boy's best interests, though his parents, who are Jehovah's Witnesses, have objected on grounds of religious belief.
The health trust which is treating the young boy had asked for the ruling after an accident left him with wounds which may require him to receive a donation of blood.
"I am extremely grateful to [the boy's] father for so clearly and calmly explaining to me the position help by himself and [the boy's] mother," Moylan said following his verdict.
"I have no doubt at all that they love their son dearly. I also have no doubt that they object to the receipt by [their son] of a blood transfusion because of their devout beliefs.
"I hope they will understand why I have reached the decision which I have, governed as it is [their son's] welfare."
The High Court has dealt with similar cases in the past. Doctors were given permission to administer a blood transfusion to a baby boy during surgery against his parent's wishes in March.
Mr Justice Keehan was told that the child would have "no long-term prospect of survival" without the procedure. He therefore ruled that "notwithstanding the parents' understandable objections on religious grounds...it is in [the child's] best interests to receive blood products both during the surgery and, if necessary, subsequent to it."
Jehovah's Witnesses believe that blood is sacred and therefore should not be "used for human consumption".
"Though it doesn't discuss it in medical terms, Jehovah's Witnesses feel that would preclude the acceptance of it in a blood transfusion," The associate director of Jehovah's Witnesses hospital information services has explained.
"Both the Old and New Testaments clearly command us to abstain from blood," JW.org states.
"Also, God views blood as representing life. (Leviticus 17:14) So we avoid taking blood not only in obedience to God but also out of respect for him as the Giver of life."
The website also argues that "Surgeons regularly perform such complex procedures as heart operations, orthopedic surgery, and organ transplants without the use of blood transfusions.
"Patients, including children, who do not receive transfusions usually fare as well as or better than those who do accept transfusions. In any case, no one can say for certain that a patient will die because of refusing blood or will live because of accepting it."
