The World Health Organisation (WHO) and the United Nations (UN) have issued a new report on mental health interventions and the law, which cites research by a University of East London academic.
The joint report, entitled Mental Health, Human Rights and Legislation: Guidance and Practice, emphasises the need for legal protections for individuals against abuses in the use of specific mental health interventions.
It highlights concerns about electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) and references research carried out by Professor of Clinical Psychology John Read.
The cited co-research paper from 2019 is called "A second independent audit of electroconvulsive therapy in England" and the report also refers to an opinion piece in the highly esteemed British Medical Journal entitled "Should we stop using electroconvulsive therapy?"
Professor Read's research has been instrumental in shedding light on the controversies and risks associated with ECT, leading to calls for its suspension pending further research into its efficacy and safety.
In his most recent work, Professor Read highlighted how misinformation about the treatment could undermine the concept of informed consent with patients in danger of misunderstanding the risks and limited benefits of the practice.
The subsequent reporting of the research was picked up by media around the UK and prompted some ECT clinics to re-write their advice.
Professor Read, from the School of Psychology, said, "I welcome this new report, which incorporates our research findings into a discussion of the dangers of ECT. It marks a significant stride towards more informed and enlightened mental health policies.
"We embarked on our research journey with a commitment to shed light on the realities surrounding ECT and to ensure that individuals facing this treatment are equipped with accurate information. The WHO report underscores the global relevance of these concerns and the imperative of addressing them.
"I hope that the WHO report will serve as a catalyst for broader discussions and reforms in the field of unnecessary or misdirected mental health interventions which are long overdue."
The WHO report notes the dramatic decline in the use of ECT in many countries. In Luxembourg and Slovenia, for example, ECT is not made available at all, highlighting the global trend towards more cautious and regulated use of this intervention.
Crucially, the report emphasises the importance of obtaining written or documented, free, and informed consent from individuals before administering ECT.
International human rights standards are cited to underscore that ECT without consent violates the right to physical and mental integrity and may constitute torture and ill-treatment.
All this aligns with Professor Read's research findings that have raised ethical concerns about ECT's use for many years.
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