Congress is waging a battle over whether disabled students should be given painful electric shocks as part of their therapy, giving advocates hope that the practice will finally end.” You are not allowed to use electric shocks on inmates or inmates. about war or convicted terrorists,” said Nancy Weiss, a retired professor who helped organize a backlash against the practice. Weiss and others were heartened by the inclusion of language in the 2023 comprehensive appropriations bill passed late last month that provides food and medicine to the US. Administration has the right to ban devices. The FDA banned the devices in 2020, but the Court of Appeals overturned the move in 2021. The fight against the use of the devices gained new momentum when Andre McCollins, a former student at the Judge Rotenberg Center, showed the video. Was restrained and shocked for hours at Canton School. The JRC has successfully rejected efforts to ban the practice, saying it is the only treatment that has worked. with some severely disabled students who may otherwise harm themselves or others. In response to the omnibus bill, the JRC said in a statement. “Parents and guardians of Judge Rothenberg Education Center (JRC) clients will continue to work to ensure life-saving electrical stimulation device (ESD) treatment is available to those for whom all other treatment options have been tried and failed. Using ESDs as part of treatment plans for these clients is a matter of life and death.” An FDA spokeswoman said the agency is reviewing the omnibus bill’s provisions “and evaluating their impact on oversight of these devices.” Weiss said he expects the JRC will also fight this latest move. I always expect them to fight and you never know what’s going to happen next,” Weiss said. “It’s important to them because this is how they make their money. And they really believe it’s important to use these incredibly painful electric shocks.”
Congress is embroiled in a battle over whether disabled students should be given painful electric shocks as part of their therapy, giving advocates hope that the practice will finally end.
“You’re not allowed to electrocute prisoners or prisoners of war or convicted terrorists,” said Nancy Weiss, a retired professor who helped organize a backlash against the practice.
Weiss and others were encouraged by the inclusion of language in the 2023 appropriations bill passed late last month that gives the US Food and Drug Administration the power to ban the devices.
The FDA banned the devices in 2020, but the Court of Appeals overturned the move in 2021.
The fight against the use of the devices gained new momentum when a video surfaced of former Judge Rotenberg Center student Andre McCollins being restrained and shocked for hours at a Canton school.
The JRC has successfully rebuffed efforts to ban the practice, saying it is the only treatment that has been effective with severely disabled students who might otherwise harm themselves or others.
“Parents and guardians of Judge Rothenberg Education Center (JRC) clients will continue to work to ensure that life-saving electrical stimulation device (ESD) treatment remains available. those for whom all other treatment options have been tried and failed. Allowing the use of ESDs in these clients’ treatment plans is a matter of life and death.”
An FDA spokeswoman said the agency is reviewing the omnibus bill’s provisions “and evaluating their impact with respect to oversight of these devices.”
Weiss said he expects the JRC will also fight this latest move.
“I’m always waiting for them to fight, and you never know what’s going to happen next,” Weiss said. “It’s important to them because this is how they make their money. And they believe it’s important to use these incredibly painful electric shocks.”
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