#FDAStopTheShockDevice Comments Page from Petition
Signatures and Statements Received through the
Change.org Petition
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Lauren Tenney
New York
We have 41 days to #FDAStopTheShockDevice -- Please help us make this real. It is very important to understand that this petition will go to the FDA, but the FDA is only accepting original comment, not mass-mail campaigns. If you want individual comment submitted through MindFreedom, please post your comment in this section. We will routinely update comments to FDA website. Also, in the petition, there is the information for you to directly submit your comments to the FDA. Please sign this petition to show your support. |
Timothy Holmes
New York
My friend Cares enough to dig in and inform Me that I should, then Low and behold, I read, and guess what, I should. |
Michele Koppinger
Minnesota |
George Ebert
New York
I am signing this petition because I am still recovering from shock treatment that was done to me over forty years ago. |
Sera Davidow
Massachsetts |
Dorothy Dundas
Massachusetts
ECT is extremely barbaric and damaging. I know as I was given many shocks without my consent. It should be banned entirely and it is shocking to me that ECT is still allowed. |
Fred Arthur Tenzer
New York |
Amy Smith
Colorado
I am signing because I am terrified that ECT is the next step in my protocol. I am signing because I am heartbroken over the hundreds of stories I have heard from my friends who have been irreversibly and horribly damaged by shock. I am signing because the FDA is making it nearly impossible for a normal citizen to comment. I am signing because I am really angry the FDA redacted the comments of people with lived experience. I am signing because I am sick to death of the phony science of psychiatry and of shock in particular and cant imagine why these barbaric practices with such miserable outcomes are allowed to continue. |
Marit Pettersen
Norway
Shock treatment is torture. |
Angela Kaplan
Pennsylvania
#?? |
Lisa Forestell
Massachusetts
ECT is, by its very nature, contra- indicated for ANY diagnosis for which it is currently perscribed. It causes brain damage. Currently considered a last resort, for that very reason, practical and far less expensive alternatives are never considered (i.e. peer respites, peer support, non-medical holistic whole body approaches, to name a few.) As a survivor of ECT, I suffer from significant memory loss, while my doctor declared my 30+ ECT treatments unhelpful. |
Salima Hitchcock
California
EcT heals nothing. It causes devastating brain damage as evidence has revealed. |
Mette Ellingsdalen
Norway
Im an electroshock survivour and have experienced the harm caused by it, as well as the lies to cover it up. |
Darian Balcom
Pennsylvania |
Carol Ritter
Massachusetts
I have seen the damage it has done to people and it is scary that we are still using. |
Marcia Benjamin, CID
California
I am an iatrogenic survivor. I went from happily living a normal middle aged working spouse/mother life with a basic hypothyroid condition, to a full blown psychiatric iatrogenic survivor, now permanently labelled as mentally ill, while facing daily neurological post side effects of such treatments. This unnecessary and totally voidable but what appears to be a current common rabbit hole, is experienced by thousands out there. It took away four years of my life that I will never regain, while nearly costing it! I went from being a successful environmental designer and architect professional managing my own design business, to a stigmatised disabled person facing daily debilitating post iatrogenic treatments' side effects that now impair me from practicing my profession and living my life fully. ECT almost killed me. I crawled two years after and still face daily symptoms. Brains injury is not a treatment. This can never be classified as wearing glasses! This needs to be eradicated! It is inhumane and not Medicine! Shame on all of those who conduct and support this!
A class III device causes brain injury ! Like a blow to the head! It can never be a class II! It needs to be eradicated completely! There too many hurt by this authocity! Enough of this irresponsible aprroach to medicine! It is not medicine! And it kills!
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Ute Maria Kraemer
Germany
no need to explain why am against torture |
David Trippas
United Kingdom |
Janine Sullivan
Wisconsin |
John Nowak
New York
ECT is simple like taking a bat and hitting someone over the head, doing this multiple times eventually so many brain cells (brain damage) will die that the victim can't remember anything to be depressed about. However in the process of hitting the victim over the head, their will be bruising, blood splattering, and infections. Visible signs showing trauma.
ECT simply removes the outward signs of trauma in bruising, blood splattering, and infections which allows for phony so called experts (God Effect) to prey upon the vulnerable for filthy lucre to in a sense hit them over the head with electricity, killing brain cells (permanent brain damage) causing the victim to not to remember enough to be depress, but also the person with brain damage can't function properly in life.
I sense you might if found a non bias Judge (that hasn't committed anyone to ECT torture), a deep pocket donor, hire a group of famous lawyers that have tremendous clout to file a class action suit of thousands of victims against the psychiatry profession for ASSAULT WITH A DEADLY WEAPON (ECT) that causes brain damage, using the “hitting someone over the head with bat analogy”, and presenting evidence of clinical studies revealing bran damage from the ECT. |
Katherine Krouse
Florida
Shock treatment is barbaric and inhuman treatment of my fellows. |
Deidre Oliver
Australia
ECT is already a legally sanctioned medically recommended brain injury, this is a devious, dishonest attempt to dupe the public and avoid the legal requirements for the safety testing which would certainly have it banned. All other devices MUST undergo stringent testing, the Class III classification insists on it, and they might not be able to hold that requirement off any longer, particularly if other manufacturers complain. ECT docs get $25,000 a week in Australia, the anaesthetists probably get more, the hospitals will rake in $50-75,000+ per patient and since its effects doesn't last, they'll be back in a few months for more. You work it out.
This is a devious attempt to avoid the required testing of devices in class III. Do they really think we can't see that by allowing the machines to be classified as safe in ONE specific area they'll de facto be considered safe everywhere. NO NO NO. The machines are either safe or not safe. They cannot be partially safe. DON'T LET THESE DECEITFUL, DISHONEST, VENAL MANIPULATORS GET THEIR WAY. This is a clear admission that psychiatry is well aware that the machines would be banned if they were to be tested. They would not have to sneak past the testing requirements if they were confident of their machine's safety and efficacy. BUT THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT THEY ARE DOING! |
Alain Lipowicz
Canada
ECT has a sordid past rife with human rights violations through forced "treatment" and a legacy of incapacitation, debilitation, and depersonalization.
There is no definitive theory that has been corroborated by convincing evidence as to how exactly ECT works, only theories that have admitted that its purported benefits involve permanent changes in brain architecture, i.e. brain damage. Accordingly, sombre tales of permanent memory lost, loss of identity, and cognitive decimation abound.
As such, despite continuous efforts to legitimize this cruel and devastating instrument of the psychiatric establishment, it is clear that this ought to be abolished outright rather than re-classified in a way so as to increase its utilization in the name of "mental treatment". |
Samantha Butz
California
Shock "treatment" (torture) should be illegal. |
Maribel Galindo Rico
Spain
Es una aberración hacer esto a cualquier persona |
Patricia Adeff
California
Please do not reclassify ECT so that it sounds less horrific! If the psychs want this down-classified, I suggest that they receive this 'treatment' if they think it's only a Class II device. ECT has NEVER been scientifically proven to cure anything. Sending high amounts of electrical voltage through a person's brain seems like it belongs during the Inquisition -- not modern times. In addition, reclassifying ECT would do away with a person's basic human rights which have been guaranteed by law. I imagine the lawsuits will be pretty massive. |
Elizabeth Mottl
Washington
Electrosock has NO proven healing. It is a torture device, absolutely! |
Kendra Achtymichuk
Canada |
John Goodwin
California
I am opposed to psychiatric abuse of humans which includes the barbaric use of ECT. |
Judy Wood
Tennessee
ECT is a desperate and damaging act performed by people who are incapable of helping their fellow human beings. |
Sharon Addison
United Kingdom |
Delores Jankovich
Kansas
Shock damages brains! Shock causes brain damage. |
John Hinde
Illinois
Its the right thing to do, this is not a treatment that should be conducted. |
Kedrick Tucker
Connecticut |
Angie DeRouchie
Oregon
In support of shock treatment or not, it is beyond clear the devise has yet to produce consistent, uniform results, so therefore should not be referred to as anything other than "experimental". |
Sonia Weaver
Pennsylvania |
Devon Fowler
Massachusetts |
Stephen Kaplan
Pennsylvania |
Stavroula Soulopoulou
Greece |
Kenny Fleischman
Michigan
Electroshock treatment has ruined my life. I had 30 rounds of ect for severe depression at 21 years old. Now 27 years old, I'm scared about my future as its been over 5 years and I'm still left with severe disabilities from it. It wiped out the majority of my autobiographical memories, severe short term memory problems, apathy, eye movement disorder, spontaneous seizures, headaches, nightmares, ptsd. Not only did ect make my life worse and wipe out much of who I am, I'm unsure of the future. Had neuro testing 6 monthes after ect and my iq dropped 50 points, was a former honor student in high school. I mesured at 78 which is almost borderline retardation. Have seen 2 neurologist now too. This is a very dangerous treatment and in taking to hundreds of people now, I'm convinced ect causes permanent disability and people can no longer go back to their former jobs. Downclassing shock let alone keeping this as a practice, is a crime against humanity. |
Nan Hiran
Texas
Damaging brain and killing people. |
Steven K
Michigan
I do not condone state torture. |
Marty Felker
Virginia
1) Shock treatment cannot be used for emergency treatment because it takes a course of a least 6 shocks to (maybe) produce results. 2) The proscribing doctor will both make the determination of whether the patient meets the diagnostic criteria and administer the shock(s). The FDA determined that there was not sufficient evidence to downgrade in 2011 and no new evidence has been presented. The requirement of treatment resistant is again totally subjective and not evidence based., 3) If ECT is determined to be effective in a given case it will then likely to be used on a "maintenance schedule" |
Colleen Murphy
New York
Patients, myself included are not given full disclosure upon obtaining consent. Permanent memory loss and permanently damage to cognitive functioning are real side effects which are life altering in a bad way. I have a right to know these things, especially since this treatment is dangerous and permanent brain damage is the result for all who undergo it. |
Patricia Headden-Rasmussen
Oregon |
Hermine van Willegen
Netherlands |
Elizabeth D Visco
Pennsylvania |
Jessica Arenella
New Jersey |
Raphael Zingel
United Kingdom |
Peggy Dougherty
West Virginia |
Hélène Grandbois
Canada
parce que je ne peux pas croire que ça puisse encore exister et à cause notamment de la dangerosité du traitement, des dommages qu'il cause et a causé depuis son introduction dans les années 30.
This so called treatment is horrendous. I was submitted to it when I was a teen ager and the consequences have been a lifetime of activism to fight back this dangerous procedure. I have a few friends that committed suicide after receiving that violent procedure. It is done to the most vulnerable like seniors in large numbers in most of the Western countries. This disgrace has to go. |
Nadia Gomez
New York
ECT is a brain damaging procedure. The rest of medicine tries its best to prevent seizures because they harm brains, but ECT induces seizures in the name of mental health. Incredibly corrupt! |
Maggie Rowlands
Australia |
Glunda Velasco
California |
Sherrie Kendall
Virginia
I was given electro shock and I signed when I was in a coma like state. It is unjust and dangerous! |
Denise Duran Bylard
California
Electroshock is not therapy and shouldn't be used for any treatment of anyone. |
Bex Collen
Australia
It take the imagination and life away |
Anthony Buonfiglio
Florida |
Carrie Beaumont
California |
Richard Mitchell
Canada
We are so ignorant of the causes and therefore the effective interventions for our neighbors, family members and friends suffering from mental and emotional distress. Please no more of this barbaric 'treatment'. |
Marcus Cleathero
United Kingdom |
Sharon Cretsinger
Ohio
Shock is torture. It destroys lives. |
Jennifer Mann
Pennsylvania
I have a daughter with mental illness who was given drugs without her consent, specifically against our requests, in the ER. Making shock devices easier to use is a tragic mistake with nothing but bad outcomes to be expected. ECT is NOT like other things in this category. Please do not allow this to happen. |
Cate Wolff
Massachusetts
We are so short sighted. There are sooooo many other options! |
Philip Hickey
Colorado
I am a mental health professional. ECT is damaging to the brain and of no use to clients. |
Deann Merchant
Rhode Island |
Sheilah Hill
Florida
I'm signing because I know the horror of this disabling procedure. |
Frank Blankenship
Florida
ECT is dangerous. It is a procedure that came out of the bad ole days of eugenics, and it just shouldn't be used on human beings. |
Mary Pelton Cooper
Michigan
I am a nurse and a psychologist. I don't want to see older women shocked repeatedly. This is not what women need! |
Katherine Shields
Massachusetts |
Roger Werner
California
The use of electroconvulsive therapy devices must be strictly regulated and the FDA must conduct a hearing of professionals before acting. |
Stephen Bailey
United Kingdom
Because my friends were severely badly affected after this treatment. Many have since passed away. |
Initially NO
Australia
In Melbourne, Australia they're killing Garth Daniels with this instrument, despite world-wide outrage, despite having a father who advocates on Garth's behalf to stop this, despite major publicity of 20 years of psychiatry's abuse of him. Not only do we need to stop this ridiculous attempt to say electro-shock is 'safe', when it's diabolical in its destruction, the public need to open their eyes and start seeing what ECT does to the citizens of their country. Stop psychiatry’s brutal shocking of people, don't allow your governments to torture innocent citizens like Garth Daniels, and all those too shy to go public. It is not safe to have repeated general anesthetics let alone be have electric currents put through your body, causing brain damage while you’re numb and unconscious. |
Valerie Clark
Massachusetts
I suffered permanent memory loss from ECT. |
Erick Meisser
California
Shocking people? Man oh man! |
Jack Carney
New York
ECT is a mechanism of torture. |
John Statham
Tennessee
ECT is cruel and not safe. Period. |
Glenn Floyd
Australia
ALL PSYCHIATRISTS ARE CAUSING LIFELONG HUMAN TRAUMA BY USING THIS BARBARIC HARMFUL TREATMENT WHICH IS CLASSIFIED AS 'TORTURE' BY THE UNITED NATIONS! THEY ARE CRUEL, INHUMANE BARBARIC CHARLATANS DRIVEN BY MONEY AND CAREER ALONE AND THEY ARE THE LEADERS OF THE PSYCIATRIC/PHARMA INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX SYPHONING $BILLIONS FROM GOVERNMENT HEALTH BUDGETS. BUT WORSE THAN THIS, THEY DO NOT OPERATE FROM A POSITION OF 'LOVE' TO WHICH WE ARE 'ALL' BOUND'! |
Carolyn Luddy
Pennsylvania |
Ellen Le Brun
United Kingdom |
Emily Wasserman
New York
Shock took my life from me. |
Yvonne Smith
Washington, D.C.
The device is experimental and dangerous and this will mislead the public about its safety and its post dangerous that are irreversable. |
Dale Wellinger
Florida
This is Barbaric,, |
Jennifer Wood
Pennsylvania |
Louise Marquis
California |
Dee Mccool
Illinois
This is barbaric. |
Angelo Visco
Pennsylvania
I share with my daughter and many others the barbaric notion that shock treatments will ever aid a patient achieve long range results.. i found that my daughter was threatened with a long term stay if she did not submit to the demand.She did submit and paid a vicious price for that act, compljance,
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Hiede Mortensen Lott
Arizona
Among the people I know who have undergone ECT is my mother. It has not helped any of them, especially not her. It is a barbaric treatment which should be banned. |
Frances MacGuire
California
ECT is barbaric and causes memory loss. The evidence base is limited. |
Giovanni Rodriguez
New York
I feel this is dangerous and should not be down-classified |
Aaron Orthmann
Oregon
My mother was a victim of ECT and was never the same again. It destroyed her life physically and mentally. |
Carlos Flores
New York
In support of this cause.... |
Steve MacGuire
United Kingdom |
Eric Coates
New Hampshire
I know electroshock survivors, and I've been on a psych ward while it was being practiced on my friends. While you may be aware of the hazards (heart attacks, brain bleeds, memory loss), what you probably don't know about is what happens to them as people who you interact with. They have a stare in their eyes, where their eyes don't move like a normal person's. It seems to look through you. They may have a smile on their face, but it is a goofy smile, empty of real expression and emotion or comprehension of what you are talking to them about. Years later, you can still see these effects. They have been hollowed out somehow as people, the connections in their brains fried with electricity so that they are no longer complete persons. It is a sad thing to see, and to witness happening. Shock is not effective in relieving depression or anything else beyond the first few weeks after it happens, when the brain, having suffered an injury, is trying to repair itself and so it seems that the activity of the mind has changed. In fact, it has only been damaged, and the electroshock survivors whom I personally know are all angry and confused about what was done to them, but they have been too brain damaged and intimidated to try to fight back any more. Electroshock is not "treatment." It is a form of brain damage and torture, and I hope that you will prevent anyone from allowing it, because once you do, it will become "required" and that many more people will suffer. This is how the system works. When doctors can't help, they use whatever extreme methods might be available — regardless of the harm that is done. Please do not allow electroshock to become a first-line treatment. It would be devastating to the public, and to many people who do not deserve this — especially when you consider the absolute dearth of genuine informed consent in this country. Please make a principled stand against it. |
Julie Greene
Massachusetts
As survivor of this barbaric procedure, I cannot say I "support" this petition, no, I urge anyone who cares about their fellow human beings to sign. ECT has no relevance to treatment-resistance, since this term has no real meaning, but rather, it is given when the patient is a nuisance to the institution. There is NEVER a need for rapid response, never a need to "zap" a person's brain and expect the person to presto chango be undepressed. Please do not believe such nonsense. This device can destroy brain cells, and other parts of the cerebral area. For what? It is genocide.
Please see my page at
http://juliemadblogger.wordpress.com/ect-pages
http://juliemadblogger.wordpress.com/ect-pages |
Kelli Vaughn-Johnson
Oklahoma |
John Prinzing
New York
ECT is ineffective and barbaric. |
Raymond Whalin
California |
Lance Whalin
California
Electroshock is barbaric, harmful and doesn't cure anything! Shock treatment is Barbarism! |
Deborah Schwartzkopf
Oregon
I am a shock survivor and sustained permanent brain injury from this untested procedure and device secondary to the failure of the FDA to protect me as a person protected by the ADA. It is frank discrimination and negligence on their part. |
Isaac Brown
New Jersey
Using Electric Shock as Medicine Is Wrong |
Sue Cohen
California
This is pure evil, a power-control trip. Psychiatrists love to tell everyone that they have the power to confine and "treat" people against their will. Treatment to them means conservatism, obedience to law, unthinking respect for authority, religion, etc. |
Michela Bou Ghosn
Arizona |
Malcolm Justice
New Zealand
I had forced ECT and it destroyed my life and the life of my family. |
Katherine Laird
Minnesota |
Michelle Platt
Oregon
I am strongly opposed to the use of these devices. They have never been proven to help anyone, only to make them malleable and often makes things worse. My own grandmother committed suicide after such treatment. It is a barbaric device and should be banned, much less made more accessible! |
Nancy Thom
Missouri
All uses of shock, whether chemical or electroconvulsive, lead tremendously to future complications. |
Loretta Wilson
Michigan
I'm signing because my husband, family and I was lied to; told the memory loss was temporary. Some 60 shocks, some 16 years beyond the last shock, husband passed away, the memories still haven't returned, mega loss of better than 25 years. That's what I've signed this petition! |
Christine Gomez
California
Shock treatment is obsolete. Abusive. |
Christopher McCamic
Florida
Psychiatric treatment is counterproductive, violent, damaging, authoritarian, and disconnected enough, without lowering the barriers to making it more so. |
Amy Bookbinder
Massachusetts
I'm opposed to torture. |
Jann Aldredge-Clanton
Texas |
Ben Ozorak
Canada
ect is torture |
Daniel Fisher
Massachusetts
As a psychiatrist I have seen the dangerous side effects of ECT, especially increased suicide and memory loss. |
Sarah Mouser
Massachusetts |
Rosalyn Newhouse
Oregon
I am opposed to medically imposed brain damage. |
Florence Rongo
Australia
Regardless of the name "treatment" this a barbaric practice; it is torture! |
Art Leibowitz
Pennsylvania
I am a Shock Survivor! |
Jyoti Deo
Florida
People are often desperate when they have hit their lowest point in life. It is in this instance that ethics in medicine is of great importance. Consent alone is not sufficient; it needs to be informed. Down-classifying ECT will only provide a false sense of security, which is ironic considering the purpose of classifying medical devices is to prevent unintended abuse through a false sense of security. For example, when its use is extended beyond daily wear, contact lenses are considered Class III
http://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/cdrh/cfdocs/cfcfr/CFRSearch.cfm?fr=886.5925"
http://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/cdrh/cfdocs/cfcfr/CFRSearch.cfm?fr=886.5925
. This is an important designation to prevent eye problems from developing. Likewise, though I challenge the use of ECT for any reason because the risks are great (e.g. memory loss) and benefits can be obtained more humanely, at the very least ECT needs to remain a Class III categorization in order to better acknowledge the risks inherent in this procedure. |
MaryAnne Silverstrim
New York |
Julie Klarich
Illinois
It's criminal |
Lisa Hamberger
California |
Susan James
North Carolina
This is a barbaric practice, and an experiment on humans. |
Gregory Kauffman
Washington |
Jan Eastgate
California
My grandmother died after receiving ECT, which was given her simply because she was grieving over husband's death. I've spoken to many hundreds of survivors of electroshock who say it's torture, not "safe and effective" treatment. FDA is not putting consumers before the financial interests of the ECT device manufacturers and American Psychiatric Association. And "treatment resistant" blames the "patient," not the treatment that has failed them. |
Orna Klement
United Kingdom |
Atalia Bhangu
United Kingdom |
Paul Tranter
United Kingdom |
Thomas Garden, Msc.
Canada
Stop this barbaric torture! |
Jayasree Kalathil
United Kingdom |
Maggie Eckard
Oklahoma
I see the devastation caused to a loved one. Every day is a struggle for him to maintain amidst seemingly the simplest of things, which are to him, chaotic and unfamiliar, because he is constantly having to re-learn things that cannot be committed to memory. Everyone needs to listen to survivors' stories; this needs to become real and fleshed-out. The medical industry has tried to soften the image of their barbarism by employing a euphemism--ECT, that will in most cases be bypassed easily by readers, if not totally overlooked. It is SHOCK TREATMENT! It does not matter that the industry lies and says it is not harmful! Ask yourself: Do you ever willingly seek to subject yourself to electrical voltage? It's that simple, and there's your answer! |
Jakob Spearfisher
New York |
Richard Patterson
Ireland |
Marian B. Goldstein
Denmark |
Cheri Bragg Acker
Connecticut
"Shocked" they would suggest that ECT belongs in the same category as wheelchairs? Then you should sign too!!! |
Tina Minkowitz
New York
In addition to the reasons given by the petition, which I agree with, I wish to add the following as a human rights lawyer, and as an individual who has been working on human rights at the global level for approximately 14 years.
UN bodies including the World Health Organization (Quality Rights Toolkit, standard 4.3), the Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (in General Comment No. 1 and in Guidelines on Article 14), and two Special Rapporteurs on Torture (in reports with UN document numbers A/63/175 and A/HRC/22/53) have condemned forced or nonconsensual electroshock, emphasizing that it is risky and intrusive and can only be done with the free and informed consent of the person concerned. The Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities condemns all forced treatment in the sources cited, and has addressed electroshock specifically in several Concluding Observations on the reports of states parties to the treaty it monitors, the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (Sweden 2014, Denmark 2014). The CRPD Committee was concerned about the high frequency of electroshock in both countries as well as it being forced or nonconsensual. In addition the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention has affirmed that all mental health services must be based on free and informed consent of the person concerned, and that involuntary committal is prohibited (A/HRC/30/37, Principle 20 and Guideline 20).
The words of Special Rapporteur on Torture Manfred Nowak in 2008 are worth quoting in full:
"61. The use of electroshocks on prisoners has been found to constitute torture or ill-treatment. The use of electroshocks or electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) to induce seizures as a form of treatment for persons with mental and intellectual disabilities began in the 1930s. CPT has documented instances in psychiatric institutions where unmodified ECT (i.e. without anaesthesia, muscle relaxant or oxygenation) is administered to persons to treat their disabilities, and used even as a form of punishment. The Special Rapporteur notes that unmodified ECT may inflict severe pain and suffering and often leads to medical consequences, including bone, ligament and spinal fractures, cognitive deficits and possible loss of memory. It cannot be considered as an acceptable medical practice, and may constitute torture or ill-treatment. In its modified form, it is of vital importance that ECT be administered only with the free and informed consent of the person concerned, including on the basis of information on the secondary effects and related risks such as heart complications, confusion, loss of memory and even death." (footnotes omitted).
Please note that a number of adverse effects that caused him to consider "unmodified" electroshock to be an unacceptable medical practice apply equally to electroshock in its "modified" form.
Shock survivors have testified over and over again to both the personal impact of this practice on their minds, bodies and lives, and to the research that more than justifies caution if not an absolute ban on the use of these medical devices. Yet the FDA wants to expand their use, including the use of shock in situations that clearly amount to forced treatment. This suggests a clear failure to put the needs of patients first, and reflects the culture of silencing and compliance that pervades the mental health professions and industries, and that is contrary to human rights norms.
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Alexander Dobre
United Kingdom
I am not for the shock therapy nor am I for any form of manipulation which would even cause a controlled epileptic like reaction w nerve or body arousal. Lobby the Police ..I will Support (Put them in jail) |
Susan Rogers
Pennsylvania
ECT is an extremely controversial procedure that has destroyed many lives, and the device belongs in Class III, if it belongs anywhere! There is much evidence that it "works" by causing brain damage, but the "informed consent" statements do not explain this so potential recipients are not given the opportunity for truly informed consent. This is unconscionable. |
Marco Costa
Portugal
I'm signing because: "Shock treatment as robbed people of the memories of their lives, their education, skills, passions, relationships, children, significant others, and total sense of oneself." |
Anne Savage
Massachusetts
I've seen shock treatment ruin too many people's lives. |
Emily Paterson
North Carolina |
Gerald Vest
New Mexico
Shock treatment reduces the brain and mind to function and find their balance and equilibrium....a form of torture. |
Robert Henderson
New York |
Jackie Yoohoo
United Kingdom
It's scary and dangerous, far more so than any mental health illness could be. We aren't talking criminally insane seriel Murdereres here..we are talking about an often times damaged by abuse mental illness that needs understanding and listening too, not further torturing. How does pouring petrol on a fire help put it out? |
Laureen McLaughlin
Canada
As a 'treatment' I have seen it overused on a close family member. The 'results' are horrific. |
Robin Jones
Canada
It's barbaric. It causes damage to the brain. It is a hit or miss 'solution' to primarily 'depression' which should be treated with the therapies that are afforded the rich. I know of too many people who's lives have been severely negatively impacted by this procedure. |
Doug Pearse
Canada
ECT has no clinical evidence that it is a cure for depression or anything else - instead it has been proven to be extremely harmful. |
Laura Howard
California
There is no question that electric shocks to the brain causes damage. There are so many things that can be done for a person without damaging their body, and thus their abiltiy to live life. So electric shock cannot be considered actual help to the patient. Let's continue in or pursuit of real help that results in a healthier, happier person. |
Scott Rowe
Illinois
There is no known benefit to electro shock therapy that I can see. I have know many people who have received it and have never witnessed it helping anyone or improving any condition. What I have seen are people getting worse due to it. |
Joseph Bradberry
California |
Scott Bradberry
California
Shock treatment destroyed my grandma. |
Richard Cleminson
United Kingdom |
Maggi Newell
California
This is horrendous that this is still considered humane. The fda is criminal for advocating for this in the name of profit. |
Deborah Hill -McGourty
Vermont
Because electro-sch9ck has nothing tondo with depression and every thing t o do with brain damage. |
Olga Kalina
Rustavi, Georgia |
Beverly Granata
Pennsylvania
everyone should have all information regarding their treatment before administration of such a treatment although I felt that I benefited by it I believe that everyone has the right to refuse it. |
Michelle Irizarry
Florida |
Peter Doland
Sweden
Its wrong, traumatic and leaves permanent damages and is an excuse for not develop psychiatric in an more humanistic way. |
Jonathan Breedveld
Netherlands |
Carol Hogarth
South Africa
This is barbaric, inhumane and definstely not a solution to improving "sick" people. |
Sarah Lyons
New Jersey
This is inhumane and no form of treatment. |
Esmeralda Ortiz
California |
Steve Downing
Florida
ECT is a barbaric treatment given by barbarians. Forced ECT is 10X worse. Don't do this. GOD is watching you. |
Rochelle Torre
California |
Julie Huntington
Canada
Talk with the people who have been subjected to this torture... Find out who supports it, who sells it and makes money from the educational programs on it and who writes the articles on in journals . |
Cynthia Benoit
Rhode Island |
Marla Brenner
Nevada
I am against the use of ECT for any reason whatsoever. |
Ryan Smith
Ohio
I'm signing because the rationale for use of ECT relies in part on the failed chemical imbalance theory for which we are still prescribing psychiatric drugs which are bound to fail. Why go from one non-working "solution" to an even more dangerous "solution". |
Judy Gayton
Canada
It's inhumane. |
Cindy Peterson-Dana
New York
I know firsthand that shock treatment is. NOT the answer for people who are depressed. Psychotherapy, DBT, exercise, meditation etc are much better,without memory loss or brain damage. Do not change the classification of the ECT machine. I will take a screen shot to keep a record of this letter. Thank you |
Heather Lagace
Connecticut
It has horrible potential side effects. It is used in cases where other options are available. |
Jonathan Tessier
Connecticut |
Thomas A Bartlett
Pennsylvania |
Fred Abbe
Oregon
15 High Voltage Electro Shock "Treatments"were forced on me as a teenager. They were acts of the utmost barbaric terror against my being then . Just the thought of it is terrorizing me still today . For the FDA To down - classify the Shock Device to Class 11 would be a Horrific Crime Against Humanity and would also simultaneously reclassify the the FDA as America's Own Dr. Josef Mengele We Torture Human Beings Commission. The FDA must work to stop shock treatments! |
Laurie Woolett
Washington |
Mercedes Chavez
California |
Patrice Strong
California |
Pia Brandt Danborg
Denmark |
Tone Vrhovnik Straka
Slovenia
In almost 100 years ECT proved no solid evidence of efectiveness. Mumble jumble should not be used on people. |
Robin Derrick
New Mexico
stop these crimes against humanity! |
Vanda Straka Vrhovnik
Slovenia |
Tracey Duffy
United Kingdom |
Dorrit Cato Christensen
Denmark
I'm signing this petition because I know of so many people who have had ECT and who suffer great impairment after that. |
Sue Cunliffe
United Kingdom
I have suffered severe reversible brain damage . 11 years on I cannot work. |
Thomas Arbuckle
California |
Bernard Daniels
Australia
Shock treatment is a crime against humanity and should be reserved for the psychiatrist who administers it because its a reflection on their lack of moral conscience |
Margaret Lacey
Pennsylvania |
Gaylynn Wyant
Minnesota
I've received etc and consider it barbaric! |
Andrijana Ilievska
Macedonia, Republic of |
Stephanie Scholz
California |
ENUSP Organization
Denmark |
Kristijan Gr?an
Croatia
ECT is outdated method with severe concequences when used. In some cases it represents a torture! |
Alma Pendergrass-Fajardo
Washington
Other countries are BANNING ECT.
Stop this sadistic treatment, not deregulate it! Atrocity! |
Steve McCrea
Oregon
ECT is dangerous and unreliable. It does not belong in the same category with wheelchairs and eyeglasses! |
Helen Nilon
Washington
The devise has not shown to be either safe nor effective and therefore should NOT have less restrictions placed upon it. If anything additional restrictions should be placed upon the use and recomendation for shock treatment! |
Richard Kramer
California |
Fonda Knudson
Minnesota
I have a diagnosis of Major Depression. |
Mary Maddock
Ireland
Shock 'treatment' is only performed on vulnerable people. It is a measure of our inhuman society that it exists in the first place. It is common sense that it causes damage and dysfunction to the human brain- the most advanced living organ in creation. Too many electroshock survivors have been damaged while too many doctors are blind to their brain damaging 'treatments'. Please sign this petition and share it widely! |
Julie Curtis
Australia
Barbaric and Deranged procedure. |
Barbara Barrett
Ireland
Electro shock is a crime against humanity a crime infiltrated by evils that redeem their position of power and control by justifying this barbaric act in the name of what they perceive as treatment. Please sign share inform others of this devastating cruelty done onto elderly people primarily women. Stop this once and for all. |
Jasmine Young
California
F you, psychiatry, you're all malicious lying psychopaths. |
J Bauer
Connecticut
I'm signing because I do not think anyone should be forced to undergo shock treatment against their will -- and that is exactly what happens, even in "enlightened: states such as CT. |
Brown Elise
Minnesota
If it's neither safe nor effective, why make it mainstream? If it's so often used on vulnerable people, that could affect about 30 million of us who will reach retirement age. This doesn't count all of those in between! I would hate to see this treatment become deriguer. It sounds like a step close to totalitarianism with no re-set button. |
Paddy McGowan
United Kingdom
Because ECT as a medical practice is wrong. The damage it causes to people's brains is horrendous. This is more akin with witchcraft as opposed to science. |
Lynn Correnty
New Hampshire
ECT EQUIPMENT USAGE PERPETRATES A CRIME AGAINST HUMANITY! STOP IT NOW! |
Brenda Johnson
Canada
I believe this is inhumane and barbaric treatment. I know several people who were never the same after this treatment. Recovery is possible and even to be expected foe those who have experienced mental health challenges, unfortunately shock treatment reduces the likelihood that an individual can recover while it permanently alters their personality. |
Jane Ellis
Virginia
I believe this is inhumane and barbaric treatment. I know several people who were never the same after this treatment. Recovery is possible and even to be expected foe those who have experienced mental health challenges, unfortunately shock treatment reduces the likelihood that an individual can recover while it permanently alters their personality. |
Oliver Zdravkovski
Macedonia, Republic of |
Julie Alexander
Wisconsin |
Leslie Kath
California
Shock treatment is cruel and unusual punishment. Please stop using shock treatment completely.
|
Deborah Machon
Washington
I have no confidence in the psychiatric system. It was violent. I was tortured and frightened of the power of in human treatments like this. |
Drew Cordes
New York
I received ECT in 2015 from a highly respected psychiatric facility. ECT was not only ineffective at sustainably improving my mental health, but it did significantly damaged my memory and brain function. This downgrade is not acceptable. |
Megan Wildhood
Washington |
Shannon Crissman
Arkansas
It should be used as a last resort as it's effectiveness is temporary at best and it can lead to permanent brain damage and memory loss. Downgrading it's status will make it more readily available which will undoubtedly increase it's use leading to greater miss use of it. |
Nora Li
Ireland
Doctors already ignore and deny the dangerous effects of ECT. Down classifying the devices will just give them more reason to be ignorant about the severe adverse effects. |
Ron Paquette
New Hampshire
I've had close loved ones and friends who have been almost tragically misdiagnosed with illnesses they don't have, yet it is considered a legal and forever binding medical record they can never have expunged and corrected. It is man's inhumanity against man. Crimes Against Humanity. Stop It Now! |
Dietmar Weissenberger
Austria |
June Gilbert-Ribaldi
California
I'm Signing because I'M NOT SILENT. """"Silence Implies Consent """ |
Amanda Reiter
Iowa
Electroshock has caused significant memory/cognitive impairments. I am now on SSDI due to brain damage. My quality of life has been greatly diminished due to this inhumane "treatment." |
Simon Maynard
Australia
To do everything possible to reduce or eliminate seizures in some ne diagnosed with epilepsy (who have testable changes in brainwave patterns), but then to deliberately CAUSE seizures (ECT) in someone because some doctor has decided that they answered their questions the wrong way, or their family complained that they were being annoying or they couldn't understand them, or because they had been through severe trauma and needed support and caring therapy but it was easier to shut them up with causing seizures and claiming that is helping is insanity. Patients need protection from lazy psychiatrists who don't want to work with and care about their patients, they would rather spend 5 minutes writing out an order for shock treatment. |
Christopher Ottavi
Connecticut |
Sara Buelow
Michigan
ECT destroyed my family and my life, taking with it many years of memories as well as my ability to create new memories. |
Lorre Mendelson
Tennessee
Shock is NOT treatment. This is ethically and morally wrong. |
LaTonya Gibbs
Oregon
I'm tired of those in crisis being pathologized rather than helped. I want humanity and compassion rather than criminalization and restraining. |
Tim Hussing
California
Shocks cause physical pain and kills brain cells. Torture is torture. No matter what else you try to call it. |
Al Guevara
Arizona
Cause I was hurt by it, but, also helped by it. |
William Welch
Massachusetts |
Tim Field
Washington
I've had LOTS of ECT (ElectroConvulsive Therapy ((Shock Treatments)) over 48 years. Since ECT causes BRAIN DAMAGE, my memory is deficient about the period when I had the ECTs, It also removes periods of memory (up to 10 years at a time) and the MDs and the RNs tell you the memories will come back after awhile, BUT THEY DON'T. I do not remember much about the 1980s or 1990s. I do not remember the geographic layout of Seattle my home town. I don't remember where Rainier Ave South is for example. Please sign this petition to the FDA to stop ECT. It is a brutal and unnecessary treatment, because patients will feel better eventually without any ECT. Peer exercise, diet, counseling, psychotherapy and medication will do the trick. (It is noteworthy that ECT is seldom administered to young men. It is administered primarily to older women. Shows us a little about whose brains are valued in our culture.) |
Kurt Wilkens Wilkens
Missouri
I'm signing because ECT is barbarous and torture. |
Cheryl Prax
United Kingdom
The FDA are supposed to protect the public not psychiatry's wallet. |
Mary Murray
New Hampshire |
Kathy Wadsworth
New Hampshire |
Sian Whitehead
United Kingdom |
Alan Michelson
California |
Amosi Omerri
United Kingdom |
Robert Belanger
Maine
No more patient cruelty. |
Anthony Copicotto
New York |
Richard Winkel
Missouri
It's not nice to erase the memories and diminish the cognitive abilities of vulnerable people. |
Janel Hopper
California
It is forced and inhuman treatment.
|
Kerrie Flynn
Massachusetts
As a medical professional I believe this will be an extremely dangerous and poor decision for patients, it's destructive and is not an emergency treatment. |
Dee Jacobson
Virginia
I have come to personally know individuals who have been harmed by this procedure for life (permanently)! And, under "Without capacity" laws can be administered in the US against a person's will/wishes.
ECT has proven dangers, honor them instead on minimizing them. |
Linda Lagemann
California |
Ryan Meyers
Florida
This is barbaric medieval treatment. It is unacceptable to do this, and now even more unacceptable to lower its risk level. Just stop. It is an extremely dangerous and non effective procedure. Please don't do this and do not make it worse than it already is. |
Regina Robinson-Elmslie
Washington |
Catherine Malone-Morse
Florida
Electroshock "Therapy" is barbaric and inhumane. |
Michelle Fournier
Massachusetts |
Sarah Launderville
Vermont |
Rachel Nichols
Indiana
Electroshock does more harm than good. |
Don Altemus
Pennsylvania
I'm against the downgrading of the classification for ECT because the risks that a person faces from ECT treatment are too significant and providers already downplay the risks. ECT treatment has many potential adverse reactions that include the possibility of death. |
Carlene Mahaffey
Maine
Forced treatment is archaic and a blatant violation of human rights. |
Michael Freeland
Wisconsin |
John Breeding
Texas
Electroshock is a terrible brain-damaging assault, and the FDA needs top do the right thing and refuse to approve it. |
Kevin Mark
New York
I don't see the need to make such treatment easier to be used as it is only of limited use for a small population of mostly upper class white people. The rest of us don't need this treatment that might be primarily useful for people with MDD and not allow the medical and psychiatric industrial complex more opportunities to make money by harming people in involuntary, coercive settings. |
Ann Burgess
Massachusetts
The effect of this "treatment" is violent. It's use underscores a fear-based, broken, "ill" system's need to perceive people using services, involuntarily or "otherwise" as other. This leads to depersonalization of people "served." Depersonalization leads to a much greater ease to deliver violence, and then call it treatment. It's use on anyone is patently unsafe and should be banned altogether, but all we're asking for here is for all the people who stand to benefit from the use of ECT, which is never "the person of concern," to be reminded that these machines are extremely energetic in their effects and to give some thought before it is used widely or "lightly." Make no mistake that ECT is now is as destructive as it's ever been at any time in our history. The person is so heavily sedated for this procedure that much higher voltages are used than ever before in the past, not the other way around! Ask yourselves whether you know people who have struggled with a seizure disorder, especially those who've endured grand mal seizures. Are you able to ask this human being whether he's looking forward to his next grand mal seizure, not the unpleasantness of the seizure, just the results?
Almost everyone I've ever witnessed upon just completing a session of ECT in the 90s in the hospital had nausea, sometimes vomiting. Every single person's resulting euphoria was very temporary, even in the hospital. A certain result of brain injury is, in fact, euphoria. The euphoria is a sign that brain damage has been quite likely! Please do not downgrade these devices. I dare you to bring your awareness and conscience to this matter. Thank you very much. |
Jeanne Smith
Vermont
The shrinks electroshocked my dad for sexually abusing me. This did not cure him, but in fact made him less able to control his behavior because of the brain damage from the electric current through his brain. That was 1963. The machines are still torture devices that cause permanent brain damage without fixing any "brain diseases." |
Nick DeSantis
Pennsylvania
I received ect 3 times a week for 4-5 weeks in 1995. I have no memory at all of it or of the previous 10 years of my life. I did not gain relief of my depression as a result of the ect. |
Marty Raaymakers
Michigan |
Ann Locasio
Texas
There is NO justification for this! |
Glen Johnstone
United Kingdom
This is an unacceptable dumbing down of a barbaric treatment that should never have been introduced. |
Julie Leonovs
United Kingdom |
Val Comerford
Massachusetts |
Christian Watson
Michigan |
Linda Smith
Florida
This must be stopped! This is the most inhumane treatment that destroys a person. |
Earl Watson
Colorado
I oppose down-classification of this device! Neurological Devices; Reclassification of Electroconvulsive Therapy Devices Intended for Use in Treating Severe Major Depressive Episode in Patients 18 Years of Age and Older Who Are Treatment Resistant or Require a Rapid Response; Effective Date of Requirement for Premarket Approval for Electroconvulsive Therapy for Certain Specified Intended Uses |
Alok Sethi
Pennsylvania
Shock treatment must end. |
Nathan Moore
Ohio
I just wish this wasn't an option at all . this treatment is horrible and so is psychiatry! |
Donna Bunce
California
This is not treatment. This is abusive. |
Craig Lewis
Massachusetts
I am a psychiatric survivor. Psychiatrists erroneously stole 30 years of my life when they were aware and documented in the late 1980's that I was being victimized by my parents and chose to medicate me anyway. 30+ years later and over 40+ different psych meds later, finally liberated from these poisons, and the only symptoms I have are trauma as a result of the 30 years of abuse and Iatrogenic issues from the medications. Where was the FDA in protecting me from all of this abuse and torture? if this happened, and it was in fact licensed Psychiatrists who saw that I was abused and victimized after 30 years and strongly encouraged me to go off the medications, (this is two out of dozens of Psychiatrists), why would anyone in good conscience trust that Psychiatrists are going to do the right thing to help people? This is not my experience. Where was anyone looking out for me? Nowhere. Do not approve of this abuse and torture. Be mindful of the Rosenhan experiment and don't believe for a second that anyone could be snatched up and abused in the same way the FDA is proposing allowing happen, for any reason, fictional or fact, proof or no proof. It cold happen to you, your loved one, your colleagues and friends. |
Sarah Jones
Alaska
Electric shock is dangerous. |
Mandy Howell
Australia
It's 2016 for goodness sake !! This practice should be banned altogether !! The staff in charge of performing this barbaric treatment need to imagine if it was them. Use your imaginations, what would you appreciate? Being tied down & treated like a wild animal or compassionate, caring, healing therapy to restore patients' mental health ??? |
Dina Poursanidou
United Kingdom |
Kathryn Bennett
Michigan
ECT treatments caused a huge change in my life. I was irking 40 hours a week while having treatment s and as a result of the treatments had to stop working and go on disability. How on earth was that helpful to me? Frankly, it wasn't. The brain is unexplored territory, please do not do more harm by re-classifying this. Unless it is outlawed.. |
Beth Harris
Massachusetts
|
Derry Mescal
Ireland
Human rights issue |
MaryAnne DellaFera
Colorado
ECT has been shown to cause brain damage. It should NEVER be used for ANY reason, but particularly in people who are already vulnerable due to mental illness. It has been used intentionally abusively to torture people who are designated by psychiatric "professionals" as noncompliant. I was a victim of this. These abuses will very likely increase if these devices are down classified. |
Jackie Williams
Washington |
Deborah O'Brien
Australia
ECT is barbaric and is not effective to the people I know who have been forced to be shocked. If it's not harmful, then the psuchiatrists should be demonstrated on for a course of 12 shocks and then get their personal opinion on whether they still feel great and unimpaired! |
Deanna Calef
Washington
Barbaric iatrogenic inhumane bad untenable ineffective unscientific horrid not good dude |
Craig Wagner
Michigan
I have done extensive research on ECT. Placebo controlled trials with sham ECT strongly suggest that sham ECT is as effective as real ECT. One ECT sedative drug (ketamine) appears to be effective by itself for short term symptom relief. FDA testing has never occurred on ECT machines so down grading their classification is not evidence-based. The very common side effect of long term memory loss sides in favor of these being experimental devices. ECT has never proven to be effective for long term symptom relief whereas other therapies when delivered based on individualized biomedical and psychosocial testing have. Further, because of the side effects it is abusive to use ECT in cases of forced therapy. |
C Bailey
Ohio
Shock is shock not treatment for anything. Before offering it, let's see the providers try it. |
Linda Drain
Tennessee
believe this is cruel. I have seizures and know the trauma of them. To induce them is wrong and causes harm. |
Ralph W. Tulloch Jr.
Staten Island |
Carolyn Hodson
New Zealand |
Suzanne Adams
Oregon
Because the idea is ridiculous that's why! |
Will Brady
New York
Shock treatment is torture. The method is employed to make it appear as if "treatment resistant" are helped rather than taking the time to find out what might actually help. |
Jack Cameron
Ohio
Stop the FDA |
Mary Newton
South Carolina |
Margaret Fong
Canada
I am someone who has a history of serious mental illness who has recovered full mental functionality without ECT. ECT damages the brain irreparably. |
Moritz Farbstein
Missouri
I have had both relatives and friends who were grievously harmed by ECT. |
Maureen Schiener
New York |
Bradford Huntchingson
New Hampshire
I have friends who are also VICTIMS of this BARBARIC, obsolete, archaic "medical technology". Let's be honest. It's ELECTRO-CUTION TORTURE. Keep it Class III, until it's GONE. |
Rose Diamond
Arizona
atrocious, inhumane, horrifying, senseless. They ought to be shocked who are deciding this. |
Gretchen Renders
New York |
Jacob Persico
Rhode Island
ECT can cause severe permanent memory loss. |
James Wright
United Kingdom
Psychiatry is unaccountable: anyone criticising Psychiatry from within gets told they are "having more symptoms", and anyone criticising from without gets told they couldn't possibly understand Psychiatry, despite all that can be gleaned from library books, message boards, Freedom of Information Act requests, documentaries and whistleblowers. |
Marlene Chamberlin
Colorado |
Cyndi Gabelein
Washington |
Linda Kehoe
I'm signing because its time to get out of the dark ages and leave the "Snake Pits" behind. It's all well and good for those administering the treatment to think that it has positive effects -- however, those being treated and or their family and friends can tell you different. It is cruel and unusual punishment and I consider it torture and so does Webster look at the definition of torture the ETC treatment circumstance/s and I'd hope you agree. Give, the procedure and the side effects, and the very often involuntary forced treatment. It's inhuman.
|
Thomas Fraser
New Hampshire
As a retired mental health nurse I have witness many dangerous punitive treatments on my patients such as doctors excessive use of chemical restraints as well as deaths in physical restraints. I was not hesitant in reporting these abuses to my superiors often with poor results. Only when I aided my patients in seeking legal counsel for their institutional abuse and negative treatments did The Department Of Mental Health stop the mistreatment. Shock Treatment needs to stay as a Class III device, Only on extremely rare times have I ever seen it useful. |
Mike Griffin
North Carolina |
Peter Davies
Australia
Q. What have you got left when your memory is shredded? |
Cassandra Auerbach
California |
Nicole Crellin
Canada
What does electricity through the brain have anything to do with improving one's faculties. Ask an electrician. |
Blanche Foz
Massachusetts |
Teresa Cope
Colorado
I oppose the use of ECT for rapid response. |
Paulette Shalhoub
Colorado |
Thomas Behrendt
Connecticut |
Colette Ni Dhuinneacha
Ireland |
Dorothy Winston
New York
I don't believe that ECT is an effective treatment of depression and there are alternatives that are better. |
Jobe Toole
California
Shock treatment killed my sister. |
Eleanor Howe
Florida
I'm signing because of the deleterious effects of the shock. |
Rev. L. William Yolton
Florida
I was six years on the Human Rights Committee at the Northern Virginia Mental Heath Institute. Electric Shock may give short yet benefits to some but long term destruction |
Mary Kelly
United Kingdom
Ireland/Cork lost a great mental health campaigner when John Mc Carthy died; he said ECT is an abuse of human rights,& I agree |
Herb Cohen
New York
I am a trauma therapist and had a client with dissociative disorder given ECT in the state hospital because she did not respond to medication. She was not screened for dissociation nor for trauma and received no treatment for either. she eventually refused ECT after 20 sets only to be listed as noncomplient.
|
Louisa Livingstone
United Kingdom
These antiquated ideas and treatments are very damaging to vulnerable and any other people. |
Barbara Cantrella
New York
|
Deborah Fickling
New Mexico |
Patricia Stacke-Kelly
Ireland |
Darren Treacy
United Kingdom
I don't believe in giving people brain damage to alleviate their Clinical Depression..a billion pounds would do one more good...
|
Olli Mustonen
Denmark
ECT is always brain damage, |
Hannah Blakeman
South Carolina |
Kelly Richardson
Washington
ECT is dangerous and needs clinical proof that it should be downgraded. Some of the studies that are done show brain damage. |
Wendy Dann
New York
This might be helpful in some cases, but it also needs to be used with caution. |
Clint Tayler
Georgia
This technology has never been properly tested and has circumvented the FDA process. There are extremely serious side effects associated with this form of alleged treatment; these are often not explained to potential patients by physicians who downplay the serious, sometimes catastrophic, side effects. There is little consideration for possible long term deleterious effect on the brain. The supposedly positive action is unknown as to its nature. Also the United Nations has officially declared ECT as a form of torture, not treatment. Finally, as someone who has undergone this and having known many friends who also have experienced this, sometimes against their will, have all had serious side effects, sometimes briefly, some permanently. There are many other effective treatments for depression that do not have the risks that ECT presents. |
Ian Parker
United Kingdom |
Claire Rice
United Kingdom |
Carla Rabinowitz
New York |
Joan Mikolajczyk
New York
FDA is simply not a reliable resource of validated information. Science is filled with inaccurate data, changing data as the environment changes, would you trust most of your researchers, many of you complain about college students and crime on campus, is it any different when they are employed as psychiatrists and employed by the FDA. What has the FDA given the world to be happy about? Should we be uproariously happy every day, or content which many psychiatrists consider treatment resistant depression. Let's try nonGMO diets & clean water, FDA has that power. I am Prudence Shagwell aka Chanti Mauduit, Mental Health of Kingston seem it necessary to force me to be Joan Mikolajczyk, is ECT next for me. I sometimes work for FDA. |
Kieran O'Leary
California
Barbaric practice |
Peter Tannenbaum
Washington
All the right reasons. |
S. Henwood
Australia
The FDA should not be down-classifying ECT to a grade2 device. The treatment has never been proven safe, Psychiatrists and scientists haven't determined the exact mechanism of action upon the brain, but the research that has been done has not concluded ECT to be safe rather the opposite. The FDA should not Down-Classifying ECT because the FDA hasn't the the proof. |
Erika Dr. Czelenk
Hungary |
Mary Finn
Massachusetts
I am against electrocuting people's brains. I am for good nutrition, helpful people and working to help people learn their own individual value to this world. People are given this for depression, which is not a physical ailment. Physical ailments get better when doctors, help them, with known cures. Penicillin saved lives!! But before it was administered, it was researched and proven. Bridges don't collapse when used because of knowledge devised by competent engineers. They assist people to cross bodies of water safely. They aren't used by people until they have been tested. Good parents, trusted friends, caring volunteers, and others teach others how to learn and become valuable, and all are valuable. No one would make it alone. You know what the warning label says on the FDA proposal, "When used as intended this device provides short term relief of symptoms. The long term safety and effectiveness of ECT treatment has not been demonstrated.". Maybe we can and should have a lot more caring for others in this world, then no one would ever get away with thinking they could electrocute a person's brains. Not very nice people used to also use corporal punishment on kids in homes and in schools as a way to enforce better grades and behaviors...at least that was thrown out. Don't ever underestimate the power of one person truly caring for another person, its made miracles happen, built bridges and a zillion other things that make life...LIFE!!! I support it and hope we live up to the right thing and throw out the questionable practices that openly state there are known bad side effects, no lasting improvements, etc., it's as my older relatives used to say, " a bunch of bologna". |
Julie Figueiredo
Massachusetts |
Omar Toledo
Puerto Rico
I Don like it and Electroconvulsive Therapy and Other Depression Treatments. ... Brain stimulation techniques such as electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), are geting the live at risk and is danger that will kill you |
Kirk Wagner
New York
Im signing this because it will only make it easier for abusive partners and spouses to control, manipulate, and abuse. And after their abuser has conned the doctor into believing their lies, the victim will be laying there, restrained, with the doctor leaning over them telling them that this is for their own good. While I was not forced to undergo shock therapy, per se, I have had two separate partners use my mental illness against me in this manner. It can happen. It will happen. And we as a society have a responsibility to protect those who cannot protect themselves. |
Sally Anderl
Minnesota
I think it can be misused by medical profession |
Josseline Rundgren Stehle
France |
Mary Power
Ireland
Over a continuous period of 3 and a half montha in 1976-77, I was reduced to a virtual vegetable (unable to think, converse or do anything but the simplest tasks) by being subjected to "intensive treatment", i.e. very-frequent ECT in combination with unusually high doses of drugs - which included neuroleptics, anti-depressants and barbiturates. All without my consent and most of it without my knowledge. There was no "emergency" or "treatment-resistant depression". They just did it to me because they could. Despite my best efforts and happy marriage, I still struggle with short-term memory problems and permanent cognitive dysfunction. All traceable to those 3 and a half months "intensive treatment".
A number of years ago, the FDA REFUSED to classify the ECT- machine in the "less dangerous" class of medical equipment. Simply because the manufacturers were unable to supply the required k paperwork (clinical trials data etc.) needed to confirm the safety and efficacy of equipment belonging to this class. I would be most grateful if the FDA could answer one question:
Exactly what has changed in the intervening years to JUSTIFIY reclassifying the ECT machine??
Yours - Mary Power (Mrs.) |
Bonnie Burstow
Canada
ECT is a violent brain-damaging procedure. To pretend otherwise is hypocritical and irresponsible. |
Lucy Johnston
United Kingdom |
Imran Baron
United Kingdom |
Frances Hogan
Ireland
I think there should be an end to the distressing use of shock treatment. There are other solutions. |
Ann Kennedy
Ireland
outrageous, manipulative, abuse of power and totally unnecessary to have any shock treatment at all. its barbaric to do this to any human brain. |
Conn Fitzgibbon
Ireland
Electric shocks have a huge impact on people's brain functioning and memory, and can sometimes end in death, my mother lost alit if memory and appeared like a zombie after her shocks, unable to motivate herself or remember things.....and it doesn't take long before the depression comes back full force. |
Melissa StLaurent
Rhode Island |
Nicholas Fernandes
United Kingdom |
Carole Hayes Collier
New York |
Carrie Ruby-Geiger
New York
I have received shock treatment and do not feel it should be down-classified. |
Chrsitine Giannelli
New York |
Kathleen Bock
Vermont
This is a barbaric treatment. Whatever the conflicts of interest that exist with industry giving itself its own grades on its own report cards----as they essentially decide for themselves what research is proving their own products safe....from which they obviously profit....all involved in the decision around mental health treatment, mental health diagnosis and all terms and criteria determining what is the source of pathology, whether a physiological condition or emotional traumas need to prove that they are worthy of trust with the dangerous and dehumanizing methods of treatment that already exist in the psychiatric industry. Please get to the real points of analysis in considering what would be a system of mental health treatment of which our nation can be proud. Not one that repeatedly churns out zomibified and sickened and debilitated citizens. You can do better. |
Moneer Zarou
New York
It's the right thing to do! |
Kelly Staples
Maine
I'm signing because I know too many people who have had there brains turned to mush because of this. Too many people under guardianship, or threats to never see their children again. It needs to STOP! |
Cong Tong
Canada
To avoid being taken advantage of one's adversary by falsely labeling mental illness and by adopting such harmful means to silence political, and religious dissident and business competitor as the establishment of foreign agent of influence looms large enough in US. |
Mary McGillycuddy
Ireland |
Ann Whitehurst
United Kingdom |
Sharon Landis
Canada
I went into it with what I thought was informed consent. It was supposed to be a last resort action to save me from being severely treatment resistant. It impaired me beyond belief for years to come. It only works bc it causes brain damage. I was told it would simply make my brain reset itself and in a short time I would be fine... It is just a lobotomy really. It's goal is to cause damage and make you forget. The risks are just too bad. The medical community completely minimized them. I could have done without that. I had very impaired memory, emotional reasoning and cognition for many years afterward...Like 14 years now. It has taken me years to recover. And I do not know if I will ever fully recover. Dr's must not be allowed to do any harm. Than they have already done! For any reason...It's just not worth it. The campaign for it in the medical community is completely flawed. This is a barbaric practice that needs to be permanently banned. Please share fellow Canadians. This is an international issue. |
Emmanuelle Mignaton
France |
Tracy Frisch
New York
I am outraged that such barbaric "treatment" continues to be used on anyone, let alone people who are likely already traumatized and suffering emotionally. |
Amanda Jeffrey
United Kingdom
The people doing this electric chair are sick monsters |
Donna Keutmann
Pennsylvania |
Laurene Smith
Pennsylvania
I am against based on facts |
Deanne Morrison
Australia
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Chuck Ruby
Maryland
ECT is barbaric. The only thing it does is jolt the person into a stupor, robbing them of memories and other cognitive functions. From the psychiatrist's standpoint, it "works" because is remove the symptoms. But in human terms all it does is act as a slap in the face, forcing the person to shut up so they don't complain anymore about their real, human problems. It does nothing to address the actual problems experienced. Depression, schizophrenia, bipolar, you name it, aren't real brain diseases. They are names given to common human struggles of a personal nature. |
Dr. Dawn Nelson
Wisconsin |
Penelope Brindley
Maryland |
James Cumm
Florida
I've seen first hand the trauma and long lasting damage of ect to unsuspecting people seeking help. |
Lena Nielsen-Mackley
California |
Tanya Baker
California
Shocking is ineffective and has dangerous side effects. People don't want this used on them against their will and declassifying this machine will make it easier. |
Michael Joyce
United Kingdom |
Kendrick Moxon
California |
John K. McAtee
West Virginia |
Elizabeth McCarthy, MA, LPC
Michigan |
Phillip Kenneth Jones
Ohio |
Catherine Birch
United Kingdom |
Nancy Salinas Burgett
Texas |
Alastair Yarrow
Ireland
I support this petition as I have heard at first hand, my patients, of the brutality of ECT. One who had experienced torture described ECT as worse, brutal, inhumane and at the hands of a profession one should believe would protect the sick not brutalise them. |
Kristin Neagle
New York
I support this petition as I have heard at first hand, my patients, of the brutality of ECT. One who had experienced torture described ECT as worse, brutal, inhumane and at the hands of a profession one should believe would protect the sick not brutalise them. |
Korena Wilson
New York
I believe it is barbaric and does way more damage then the benefits, if there is any benefits. it is cruel. |
Jayette Lansbury
New York |
Joao Gaspar
Portugal
U[Volt] = R[Ohm] x I[Ampere]
People are the Resistance. |
Stephen Sidare
New York
It's a very insidious move on such a lethal device! |
Hélton Winter
Brazil
Shock treatment is torture and cures nothing. Tratamento de choque é tortura e nunca curou nem cura nada. |
Heather Robertson
Australia |
Carole Watkins
Virginia
This is just old time treatment
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Mick McKeown
United Kingdom |
Lucy Tobias
United Kingdom |
Kieran Wilson
United Kingdom
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Dianne Robinson
Canada
This is a useless barbaric practise |
German Calvo
Canada
These devices have little known positive effects and results and can be severely abused in the wrong hands and without very careful supervision. Patients can be and have been deceived as to the use and purpose of these devices....many loaing their lives or memory of it in the process. |
Bethany Sheldahl
Kentucky |
MaryEllen Seehafer
Maryland |
Chrisian Dawson
New York
ECT causes memory loss. Decreased IQ. Decreased social skills. Decreased problem solving. |
Sleven Rucci-Airo
California |
Michaela Lewis
United Kingdom
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Martha Thompson
California |
Ernesto Ramirez
New Jersey |
Sharon Rudd
Florida
ECT is not a treatment to be used casually. It is Class III treatment. It has NOT been proven to be effective, nor is it safe. The UN has classified ECT as torture, which it is. |
Eileen McGinn
New York
The idea that it is or could be therapeutic to repeatedly give a person general anesthesia and then provide electrical stimulation to the human brain to induce repeated seizures, remains controversial after decades of the use of ECT shock devices. These devices are still classified by the FDA as among the ones unsupported by actual unbiased and high quality research evidence (Class III) as to their benefits, harms, indications, contraindications, relative contraindications and short-term, medium-term and long-term outcomes in different populations with different indications. These ideas remain to be supported by any unbiased, strong or nuanced evidence. The FDA hearing in 2011 reviewed the research and the state of the evidence for understanding of benefits and harms for different indications or different populations, with different software, devices, anesthesia doses, placement of device parts or duration of seizures. They declined to recommend that these shock devices be placed in a category (Class II) to be considered as clearly safer for Americans.
Now, instead of a hearing to review any new evidence with an even-handed and unbiased panel, what is now proposed is that simple assertions, without evidence, are all that is necessary to settle this decades-long controversy about the many issues remaining for these shock devices. The continuing issues have not been addressed adequately, and these simple assertions cannot be a basis for the FDA's making such a major decision to reclassify these shock devices into another category recognized as "safer" than the one where it is currently classified. The offering of a compendium of poor quality research with unsupported vague conclusions is not scientific and does not provide an adequate evidence base to evaluate or reevaluate safety, not to speak of effectiveness, of the devices. An objective review of this poor quality research coupled with an understanding of the conflict of interests (overlap of manufacturers, researchers, providers, journal editors), as well as a review of the FDA's 2011 hearing last review in 2011,cannot allow the FDA to proceed as if ignorant of these massive shortcomings in scientific inquiry. There are not even clear definitions and understanding of the supposed narrow "indications" for this reclassification: current psychiatry literature confirms that there is no agreed upon definition for "treatment resistant" depression, surely a required point of departure for any FDA approvals.
Some References
Berlim MT, & Turecki G. (2007). What is the meaning of treatment resistant/refractory major depression (TRD)? A systematic review of current randomized trials. Eur Neuropsychopharmacol. 2007 Nov;17(11):696-707. Epub 2007 May 23.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17521891
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17521891
Brooks, M. (2016). 'Robust' Evidence Supports CBT for Resistant Depression. http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/857642
http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/857642
Davenport, L. (2016). Depression Symptoms Ongoing Even With Optimal Treatment.
http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/859181?
http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/859181?
de Sousa, RT, Zanetti, MV, Brunoni, AR, & Machado-Vieira, R. (2015). Challenging Treatment-Resistant Major Depressive Disorder: A Roadmap for Improved Therapeutics. Curr Neuropharmacol. 2015;13(5):616-35. Doi: 10.2174/1570159X13666150630173522#sthash.Q4w9FpXd.dpuf
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Douglas Coulter
California
A survivor of forced psychiatric treatment |
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