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We Can't Censor Medical Procedures, Says Health Minister About Electroshock Therapy
Equipment purchase will be discussed, said Mandetta, but the procedure shouldn't be outright forbidden
Feb.12.2019 1:00PM
Natália Cancian
BRASÍLIA
Health minister Luiz Henrique Mandetta said on Monday (11th) that the purchase of electroconvulsive therapy equipment for the public health system has yet to be discussed by the new administration. But he said he didn’t think the procedure should be blackballed.
“I’ll leave the discussion for the ministry’s mental health specialists. But I wouldn’t veto it. It’s not up to the government to forbid or bring ideology into this matter,” he said.
He said he would follow the guidelines established by the Brazilian medical council, that has allowed the use of electroconvulsive therapy (also known as electroshock) for certain conditions since 2002. “If the procedure exists and it has its applications, I can’t forbid it.”
The equipment purchase was authorized by the then national coordinator for mental health, Quirino Cordeiro, who left the ministry last week. Cordeiro will take over campaigns to fight drug addiction at another government department.
More:
https://www1.folha.uol.com.br/internacional/en/scienceandhealth/2019/02/we-cant-censor-medical-procedures-says-health-minister-about-electroshock-therapy.shtml
