Electroconvulsive therapy

BMJ 2003; 327 doi: 10.1136/bmj.327.7415.621-a (Published 11 September 2003)
Cite this as: BMJ 2003;327:621.2

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NICE guidance may deny many patients treatment that they might benefit from

  1. Catherine Cole, specialist registrar in psychiatry,
  2. Robert Tobiansky, consultant old age psychiatrist (robert.tobiansky@bhct-tr.nthames.nhs.uk)

    EDITOR—Carney and Geddes predict that most parties will be reasonably satisfied with the appraisal of electroconvulsive therapy by the National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE).1 2 Our clinical experience is that many patients who may benefit from electroconvulsive therapy will be denied it under these guidelines.

    Apparently, the NICE appraisal panel did not include a single psychiatrist, which may partly …

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