Italians ban shock treatment:
This article was originally published in Clinica
Executive Summary
The Italian region, Piedmont, has banned the use of treatment (ECT) in children, the elderly and pregnant women. This treatment is highly controversial as it involves sending up to 460 volts of electricity through the brain to produce an epileptic fit and has been opposed by the international psychiatric watchdog group, the Citizens Commission on Human Rights. Piedmont has also said that where ECT is used, the psychiatrist in charge must adhere to strict guidelines, including supplying both in writing and verbally the possible harmful effects of the treatment. In the US, more than 100,000 patients undergo ECT each year, including the elderly, children and pregnant women.