FDA re-issues ban on electric shock devices

In January, human rights groups urged the FDA and the Department of Health and Human Services to promptly release a proposed ban on electric shock devices, now that Congress has clarified its authority. Over 25 organizations, including the ACLU, Autistic Self Advocacy Network, and Epilepsy Foundation, pressed HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra and FDA Commissioner Robert Califf for swift action.

The FDA highlighted concerns, stating that electric stimulation devices could exacerbate symptoms and pose risks to mental and physical health, including depression, anxiety, and PTSD. Communication challenges or the inability to make treatment decisions further complicate matters for some individuals.

Presently, the Judge Rotenberg Education Center in Canton, Massachusetts, is the sole U.S. facility using these devices, manufactured internally to address self-injury or aggression. In 2010, the Department of Justice investigated the school's practices, and the FDA issued a warning letter in 2012 for device modifications without clearance. About 50 individuals currently have treatment plans involving these devices. If enacted, the regulation would ban electric shock devices from the market and their marketing.