I refer to the article by Helen Luk headlined, 'A jolt in the medical system' (Sunday Morning Post, September 28).
The Hong Kong Psychogeriatric Association is concerned about comments made regarding electroconvulsive therapy (ECT).
The article quoted the comments of an American neurologist, in 1977, that ECT would cause brain damage. However, the numerous international literature on the effectiveness and safety of ECT refutes this.
There is a consensus among psychiatrists all over the world, including Hong Kong.
They believe that ECT is a very effective treatment for depression and certain other categories of mental conditions.
Various experts have endorsed the use of ECT and guidelines on ECT are available in the American Psychiatric Association, the Royal College of Psychiatrists of the United Kingdom and the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists.
We feel it is important to reaffirm that ECT is a safe and effective treatment modality in psychiatry. The public has a right to know the truth rather than to be presented with the unfounded opinion given by a neurologist more than 20 years ago. Such views have been disproved by the overwhelming scientific evidence provided over the last two decades.