Electroconvulsive Therapy for Patients With Depression Who Lack Capacity for Consent: Doing Good and Doing No Harm

Conclusions There were no significant differences in short-/long-term ECT effectiveness between patients with/without capacity for consent. Electroconvulsive therapy is the only established and effective treatment in clinical settings for the most severe cases, wherein patients are incapable of giving consent but need rapid recovery. A general rejection of this practice due to concerns surrounding consent may be unethical under the ethical principles of medical care.
Source: The Journal of ECT - Category: Psychiatry Tags: Original Studies Source Type: research