Legislation Limiting Access to Electroconvulsive Therapy Is Increasing-A Call for Reasonable and Evidence-Based Legislation.

INTRODUCTION

There is an increasing body of legislation that limits access to electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) with a relative lack of directives and recommendations from psychiatrists regarding these laws.

METHODS

The authors utilized LexisNexis to examine newer legislation related to various aspects of ECT and the implications of these laws in ECT treatment.

RESULTS

These laws include regulations regarding informed consent, age restrictions, and approved practitioners. All but one of these enacted laws are restrictive.

DISCUSSION: Such laws reduce the availability of this life-saving treatment for patients, with little to no base in medical evidence, and in some cases, clear inaccuracies written by lawmakers with no medical training. This is a call for advocacy for laws to be based on medical facts to protect and reduce mortality for some of our most vulnerable patients.