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FDA Moves to Ban Shock Devices at Massachusetts School for Second Time

The FDA is seeking to ban electric shock devices used for behavior management in students with disabilities, citing substantial risks and previous legal challenges.

FILE - In this Aug. 13, 2014 file photo, a therapist checks the ankle strap of an electrical shocking device on a student during an exercise program at the Judge Rotenberg Educational Center in Canton, Mass. The student, who was born with a developmental disorder, wears the device so administrators can control violent episodes. On Wednesday, March 4, 2020, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced it is banning a class of controversial devices used to discourage aggressive, self-injurious behavior in patients with mental disabilities. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
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Overview

  • The FDA aims to ban electric shock devices at the Judge Rotenberg Education Center, the only school in the U.S. using them for behavior management.
  • This marks the second attempt by the FDA to prohibit these devices, following a federal court's overturn of a similar ban in 2020.
  • The devices, intended to curb aggressive or self-harming behavior, have been criticized for posing psychological and physical risks.
  • Legal and regulatory changes since the initial ban now clarify the FDA's authority to enforce such prohibitions.
  • The Judge Rotenberg Education Center defends the treatment as 'life-saving,' despite widespread condemnation and legal challenges.