Posted by Larry Hoover on June 10, 2003, at 21:11:30
I'm hoping this topic is not too off the mark for a medication board......
The Supreme Court of Canada just released a ruling with respect to the right of a patient held in a secure psychiatric facility to refuse medication despite the treating physicians' assertion he was not competent to do so.
After being found not criminally liable for threatening (due to mental incapacity), Starson was placed in secure psychiatric facility. Diagnosed with bipolar disorder with psychotic features, his doctors proposed forcing him to receive antipsychotics, mood stabilizers, anti-anxiety meds, and anti-Parkinsons meds. Although ruled incapable of refusing treatment by a Board of Capacity, Starson successfully appealed that decision all the way to the Supreme Court.
It's a lengthy decision, but I found it to be fascinating, to consider all the issues raised.
The full-text of the decision is at:
http://www.lexun.umontreal.ca/csc-scc/en/rec/html/2003scc032.wpd.htmlA news-brief summary is at:
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/ArticleNews/TPStory/LAC/20030607/USTARM//?query=StarsonLar
poster:Larry Hoover
thread:233058
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20030609/msgs/233058.html