childrenshealthdefense.org The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has renewed its push to ban controversial electric shock devices used to control self-harm and aggressive behavior in people with developmental disabilities, including autism and Down syndrome. If finalized, the ban would effectively end the practice in the U.S., where it is now limited to one school in Massachusetts, though the school operates 50 locations.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is proposing to ban the use of electric shock therapy to treat self-harm or aggressive behaviors, including in children with autism or Down syndrome.
Electrical stimulation devices are used for a specific type of aversive shock therapy that delivers an “often-painful electric shock” to people exhibiting self-injurious or aggressive behavior.
Proponents of the devices say they condition people to stop the behaviors, which are frequently associated with underlying intellectual or developmental disabilities.
Self-injurious behaviors can include head-banging, hand-biting or skin-picking. In severe cases, the behaviors may escalate to breaking bones, self-blinding or ingesting dangerous substances. Aggressive behaviors can involve assaulting other people, often seriously.
The therapy, which works by administering the shocks as punishment whenever such behaviors occur, often targets the highly vulnerable, including disabled children.
Regulators note that many patients in this group may have limited ability to communicate or provide informed consent.
According to the FDA, the devices pose significant physical and psychological risks. They’re known to cause pain, burns, tissue damage, anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder.
The agency concluded that these risks cannot be mitigated through labeling or changes in how the devices are used, prompting the proposed rule change.
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