The Autistic Self Advocacy Network (ASAN) has taken a powerful stance by writing a letter to the FDA, urging them to reissue the ban on aversive shock devices. This important plea comes after the FDA’s original ban was overturned on a technicality, allowing the continued use of these devices despite overwhelming evidence of their ineffectiveness and harm.
The scientific consensus on aversive shock therapy is clear: it is an ineffective and brutal intervention that inflicts significant physical and psychological harm on individuals with disabilities. The reversal of the ban has led to two more years of needless suffering for children and adults who deserve better care and support.
Congress has reinforced the FDA’s authority to issue such a ban, acknowledging the medical evidence that supports the prohibition of aversive shock devices. Prominent organizations, including the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, have all supported the FDA’s original ban, highlighting the risks and detrimental effects associated with these devices.
The UN’s Special Rapporteur on Torture, Manfred Nowak, has unequivocally labeled the use of aversive shock devices as torture. The FDA itself recognized the substantial risks posed by these devices, including depression, fear, aggression, pain, burns, and tissue damage. The evidence is undeniable, and it is imperative that the FDA acts swiftly to reinstate the ban.
The FDA has a duty to protect the health and safety of vulnerable individuals, and further delay in addressing this issue is unacceptable. For far too long, people with disabilities have been subjected to electric shocks for minor behaviors, causing long-lasting trauma and distress. The previously-issued rule acknowledged the severe short and long-term effects of this abusive treatment.
It is time for the FDA to take a stand and prioritize the well-being of individuals with disabilities. By reissuing the ban on aversive shock devices, the FDA can send a powerful message that torture and abuse have no place in our society. We urge the FDA to heed the voices of ASAN and other advocates, and to take decisive action to protect the rights and dignity of individuals with disabilities.
READ FULL LETTER HERE: AutisticAdvocacy.org/FDA-Letter