The author describes a case in which a severely depressed suicidal
patient was treated with ECT despite her refusal to grant permission while
involuntary commitment procedures were pending. He discusses the
professional dilemmas caused by new, and sometimes conflicting, legal
principles such as the right to treatment and the right to refuse treatment
and suggests that psychiatrists work to clarify these principles while
saftguarding themselves with the aid of appropriate legal counsel.
Abstract Teaser