Guantanamo: a call for action: Doctors should not treat detainees only to render them fit for further abuse

doi:10.1136/bmj.332.7545.855-a

BMJ 2006;332:855 (8 April), doi:10.1136/bmj.332.7545.855-a

Letter

Guantanamo: a call for action

Doctors should not treat detainees only to render them fit for further abuse

The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below.

EDITOR—Wilks makes a compelling case for doctors to adhereto the ethical parameters set in the Tokyo and Malta declarations.^1-3Another concern for medical practitioners working in centreswhere torture is practised must be about treating individualsfor moderate to severe medical and surgical conditions, onlyto render them fit to face further torture and abuse.

Evidence exists that inmates may have various mental healthproblems in detention centres.^{4 5} Furthermore, it can be difficultfor the medical practitioners adequately to assess the mentalstate of their patients when these are in a weak and poor physicalcondition.

To prevent inmates being exposed to imposed or forced treatmentsinternational consensus needs to be achieved on obtaining anindependently witnessed (representatives of Red Cross or othersuch organisations) and explicitly worded written consent. Thisconsent must be reviewed periodically. There should also bean arrangement for legally binding advance directives . . . [Full text of this article]

Sabahat A Wasti, consultant in rehabilitation medicine

Northern General Hospital, Sheffield S5 7AU asim.wasti@barnsleypct.nhs.uk

Sajid Z Bhatti, staff physician rehabilitation medicine

Portsmouth Hospitals Trust, Portsmouth