Deep brain stimulation and revising the Mental Health Act: the case for intervention-specific safeguards

Jonathan Pugh; Tipu Aziz; Jonathan Herring; Julian Savulescu

doi:10.1192/bjp.2018.200

Deep brain stimulation and revising the Mental Health Act: the case for intervention-specific safeguards

Br J Psychiatry. 2019 Mar;214(3):133-136. doi: 10.1192/bjp.2018.200.

Authors

Jonathan Pugh¹, Tipu Aziz², Jonathan Herring³, Julian Savulescu⁴

Affiliations

¹ Research Fellow in Applied Moral Philosophy,The Oxford Uehiro Centre for Practical Ethics, University of Oxford,UK.
² Professor of Neurosurgery,The Oxford Uehiro Centre for Practical Ethics, University of Oxford,UK.
³ Professor of Law,Faculty of Law,University of Oxford,UK.
⁴ Uehiro Chair in Practical Ethics,Oxford Functional Neurosurgery,University of Oxford,UK.

Abstract

Under the current Mental Health Act of England and Wales, it is lawful to perform deep brain stimulation in the absence of consent and independent approval. We argue against the Care Quality Commission's preferred strategy of addressing this problematic issue, and offer recommendations for deep brain stimulation-specific provisions in a revised Mental Health Act.Declaration of interestT.A. is a paid consultant for Boston Scientific, Medtronic and St. Jude Medical. He has received honoraria from Abbott, Boston and Medtronics and served as consultant to all three.

Keywords: Mental Health Act; deep brain stimulation; medical ethics; mental capacity; mental health law.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Deep Brain Stimulation*
Health Policy / legislation & jurisprudence*
Humans
Informed Consent / legislation & jurisprudence*
Mental Competency / legislation & jurisprudence*
Mental Disorders / therapy*
United Kingdom

Abstract

Publication types

MeSH terms

Grants and funding