The frustration among autism advocates reached a boiling point following the lengthy delay in the FDA’s proposed ban on electric shock devices, particularly the graduated electronic decelerator (GED) used at the Judge Rotenberg Educational Center in Massachusetts. A vivid anecdote from Eagle, a 14-year-old who visited the center in the early 2000s, highlights the alarming nature of these devices. Eagle was shocked to discover children wearing backpacks fitted with wires that administered electric shocks, shedding light on the inhumane treatment faced by individuals with disabilities. Observing children subjected to such harsh measures spurred advocates to demand immediate regulatory intervention.
Ethical concerns surrounding the GEDs have united disability rights advocates in a call for swift FDA action to ban these devices. The torturous methods employed through electric shock treatments evoke deep-seated fears among those with disabilities. The slow regulatory process has only intensified outrage, with opponents characterizing the GEDs as a chillingly inhumane form of behavioral control. Disability rights groups argue that the continued use of these devices constitutes a blatant violation of human dignity and must be swiftly abolished to protect vulnerable individuals.
The Judge Rotenberg Educational Center, the primary institution deploying these controversial devices, stands at the heart of this ethical dispute. While defenders of the center assert that GEDs are a last-resort measure for extreme cases, critics contend that any potential benefits are grossly overshadowed by the inherent cruelty and potential psychological damage inflicted. The vehement opposition has resulted in growing public pressure on the FDA to expedite its decision, underscoring the urgent need for decisive action to address the ethical lapses in using such devices for behavior modification.
