A Jehovah’s Witness is taking Spain to the European Court of Human Rights for coercing her into a blood transfusion during surgery.
This has caused much controversy due to its complicated nature and ethical concerns.
Rosa Edelmira Pindo Mulla, an Ecuadorian woman living in Spain, claims to be a victim of “medical paternalism”, due to her nationality and religion.
She was advised to undergo surgery based on medical examinations, and she refuses to receive any kind of blood transfusion even at the cost of her own life.
Before the procedure, Pindo Mulla filled out an advance directive, a long-term power of attorney, and an informed consent form, all of which clearly stated her refusal to receive any kind of blood transfusion.
However, she still received a blood transfusion after suffering a life-threatening hemorrhage during surgery.
In March 2020, Pindo Mulla filed an application with the European Court of Human Rights, after her case was dismissed by both a Madrid court of law and the Spanish Constitutional Court.
The Chamber to which the case had been allocated relinquished jurisdiction in favor of the Grand Chamber last year.
The case has been making news headlines for years due to its complicated nature and ethical concerns. The Grand Chamber of the European Court of Human Rights is currently deliberating, and a sentence is expected in several months.
