Medscape (2/4, Brooks, Subscription Publication) reports, “In a ‘head-to-head’ article published online” Jan. 30 “in the BMJ, experts debate” the harms and benefits of electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) for the treatment of severe depression.
According to Healio (2/4, Demko), “John Read, PhD, professor of clinical psychology at University of East London, along with Sue Cunliffe, a patient who underwent the therapy, argued that ECT does not have long-term benefits compared with placebo and may cause brain damage,” while “Sameer Jauhar, MRCPsych, from King’s College London’s Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, and Declan McLoughlin, PhD, MRCPsych, professor of psychiatry, Trinity College Dublin, St Patrick’s University Hospital, Ireland, argued that the evidence supports ECT as an effective and safe depression treatment with manageable adverse side effects.”
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