Ireland: High Court rules life-saving blood transfusion was lawful

The High Court has ruled that doctors at the Coombe Women’s Hospital in Dublin did not act unlawfully in giving a blood transfusion to a Congolese woman who had lost a significant amount of blood after she gave birth.

Ms Justice Mary Laffoy has said that, having regard to the gravity of Ms K’s condition and the risk of the outcome, in other words, death, her rights were not breached by the hospital’s actions.

An emergency order was granted to the hospital in 2006 compelling her to have a blood transfusion after she lost 80% of her blood.

That order was upheld today.

The hospital had argued that the State had a constitutional duty to protect and safeguard the woman’s right to life.

Lawyers for the Coombe said it was believed she would die if she didn’t have the transfusion.

• In Irish legal first, judge orders life-saving transfusion for woman opposed to procedure (Sep. 21, 2006)

• Jehovah’s Witnesses denied part in blood transfusion suit (Dec. 7, 2006)

• Hospital begins landmark case over transfusion for Jehovah’s Witness (Oct. 2, 2007)

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