From The Brownstone Institute, written by Peter Gotzsche: “When people under psychiatric care commit suicide or homicide, or are killed or seriously harmed, because of medical malpractice, it is extremely rare that it has any consequences for the doctors. Psychiatry seems to be the only area in society where the law is being systematically violated all over the world. Even Ombudsman and Supreme Court decisions are being ignored.
In 2003, using scientific arguments, lawyer Jim Gottstein convinced the Supreme Court in Alaska to decide that the government cannot drug patients against their will without first proving by clear and convincing evidence that it is in their best interests and that there is no less intrusive alternative available. Unfortunately, this victory for human rights has not created a precedent in Alaska, where the authorities continue to force people into being treated with antipsychotics. Just like everywhere else, including in Norway.
I have collaborated with Norwegian former Supreme Court Attorney Ketil Lund on these issues, and we explained in a law journal why forced medication cannot be justified. The efficacy of antipsychotics is poor, and the risk of serious harms is so great that forced medication seems to do far more harm than good. Two years later, the Ombudsman concluded in a concrete case, with reference to the Psychiatry Act, that it violated the law to use forced treatment with an antipsychotic.
I studied consecutive cases where patients had appealed forced treatment orders, which had never been done before. It was difficult to get access to the records, but it was worthwhile as it turned out that the legal protection of patients was a sham.”
