Thread: Can a Jehovah's Witness use HBOC201?

I read an article about one of Jehovah's Witnesses in Australia that accepted the use of HBOC201, which is derived from cow plasma?
Can you tell me if this is new and if it really is acceptable for use as a Jehovah's Witness? It sounds like it might be a form of a blood fraction? But I just wanted to get some more information on the use of this as I've never heard of this.



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HBOC stands for hemoglobin based oxygen carrier. It is derived from fractionated red blood cells not plasma. The hemoglobin is stripped from the red blood cells synthetic "cells" are used to transport it (probably a gross oversimplification). Type and cross match is not necessary as in the case of red blood cells. The trade name is Hemopure.

Whether to use the product or not is a matter of personal choice among Jehovah's Witnesses.

By the way, this product is available for compassionate use only. There have been side effect and more study is needed before the product will be approved.

Actually it was her Husband and her doctor who made the decision to use it. No it is Not new. Witnesses could make a personal choice-however due to serious complications-the FDA and similar agencies pulled the plug on all current HBOC testing about 2 years or so ago and companies closed down those departments.

The Aussy doctor has ties with US military-which is how he was able to get something ( left over stock ) no longer approved for testing in most countries- not even on compassionate grounds - which is all most who received it got it on. It was only ever legal in South Africa. A doctor in the US Pacific NW bemoaned the fact that she could no longer get it - she used it on 4 witnesses that I know about and I believe one died.

They were synthetic hemoglobin created from molecules of either human or cow ( bovine ) blood - depending upon brand. No Longer Available-the Aussy doctor should not have been able to get it -in article I noticed he had to wait 2 days for it - hmmmm- why didn't he use other methods?

It seems the main problem was that, just like free hemoglobin in stored blood ( normally contained within red blood cell membrane ), it leaked out of blood vessels and caused major damage/organ death in patients.

There is more info under the answers section at top of web page.