ICSPP Endorses the FDA Advisory Panel's Decision Regarding ECT Devices

[Cetacea]

Source: PRLog

The considerable scientific evidence available suggests the efficacy of ECT is very questionable, at best, it causes brain damage to all, and very serious brain damage to many. ICSPP urges the FDA to maintain the Class III scheduling of the ECT.





PRLog (Press Release) – Feb 11, 2011 – On January 27 and 28, 2011 members of a Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Advisory Panel heard patients, doctors and mental health professionals present evidence that Electro-Convulsive Treatment (ECT), popularly known as electroshock, is too harmful and not effective enough for the FDA to downgrade ECT devices from Class III to Class II. Class III devices are required to prove their safety and effectiveness through clinical trials during a pre-market approval process, a standard that is not required of Class II devices.

In 1979, the FDA categorized the ECT (electroshock) devices as Class III, high risk devices, meaning their benefits were not shown to outweigh their risks, and that they presented a “potential unreasonable risk of injury or illness.” The FDA ruled brain damage and memory loss were the main risks of the procedure. However, in spite of those concerns and the steady stream of continuing evidence of harmful effects, ECT is experiencing a resurgence of use by psychiatrists.

The testimony of January 27 and 28 was convincing enough that a majority of the Panel voted to keep ECT devices as Class III devices.

Read more: http://www.prlog.org/11293522-icspp-endorses-the-fda-advisory-panels-decision-regarding-ect-devices.html

[Rhiannon12866]

1. I was a psych major and I remember what was said about ECT

That they don't know if it works and, if it has any effect, they don't know why. Doesn't sound like a safe or reliable course of treatment, to me. And I've known people who have had ECT. Though it's not the terrifying stuff of old movies, anymore, it's still pretty invasive and causes serious, though usually temporary, memory loss. I can't imagine why it's still used anywhere. :(

[Cetacea]

2. It's very profitable and always causes damage

The first real long-term study wasn't done until 2007(!) and memory and cognitive problems were still present at six months, the neurological time threshold that establishes permanent damage. Ironically, the man who led the study was the same person who created the oft-repeated "only 1/200 suffer side effects" line that is repeated in every article or documentary ever produced...



" Something most remarkable and unexpected has occurred in the field of psychiatry. Lead by a lifelong defender and promoter of shock treatment, Harold Sackeim, a team of investigators has recently published a follow up study of 347 patients given the currently available methods of electroshock, including the supposedly most benign forms--and confirmed that electroshock causes permanent brain damage and dysfunction.

Based on numerous standardized psychological tests, six months after the last ECT every form of the treatment was found to cause lasting memory and mental dysfunction. In the summary words of the investigators, "Thus, adverse cognitive effects were detected six months following the acute treatment course." They concluded, "this study provides the first evidence in a large, prospective sample that adverse cognitive effects can persist for an extended period, and that they characterize routine treatment with ECT in community settings."

After traumatic brain damage has persisted for six months, it is likely to remain stable or even to grow worse. Therefore, the study confirms that routine clinical use of ECT causes permanent damage to the brain and its mental faculties..."

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dr-peter-breggin/disturbing-news-for-patie_b_44734.html

[Rhiannon12866]

3. Thanks for the additional information, though I'm certainly not surprised.

I was in school in the '70s, and they were questioning its use then, so I can't believe that it took 30 years to do a real study. Makes me feel pretty ill, actually.

At around that time, I had a friend who underwent ECT, nice guy, very smart, but he had this religious obsession, used to bother priests and nuns at all hours to ask them pressing questions. Sounds kind of amusing, but this was a very real problem for my friend. I remember seeing him afterwards, looking pale and disoriented, and he said to me "I know that I know you, but I just can't remember your name right now..." I don't think it did him much good, but that was his psychiatrist's preferred course of treatment.

I also had an acquaintance who was considering ECT, prescribed by the same doctor. He asked me what I thought and I told him that they didn't know if it worked, or how, and I certainly wouldn't do it, so he didn't. Scary stuff. Thanks for posting this important information... :( :hi:

[Cetacea]

6. You're welcome. Sorry to hear about your friend.

I have read similar stories of people not recognizing friends or family; of mothers not being able to recall having raised their children. Horrible and tragic. Although there are some success stories, I feel that they are rare and that most people are too damaged and traumatized and intimidated to report problems. The other problem is that as far as I know, voltage and duration are not regulated (!) which could account for the varying degrees of severity in cognitive defects.

[Downwinder]

4. Ought to apply the same standards to Tasers.

[xchrom]

5. recommend