Forced EPI Treatment in CA? News

[Zoe]

This link is to an ABC news article just posted on the net. A study on how to give anti-epileptic drugs to people in emergency situations may cause them to be part of an experiement without their knowledge or consent.

Seizure patients unknowingly consent to study
Tuesday, January 27, 2009 | 4:21 PM
SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- People who suffer a seizure and need emergency care in Santa Clara, San Mateo and San Francisco counties could be enrolled in a research study without their permission.
...
Patients who do not want to be in the study need to wear a specific red bracelet. For more information or to obtain a bracelet, contact Patients who do not want to be in the study need to wear a specific red bracelet. For more information or to obtain a bracelet, contact Stephanie Casal at Stanford (650) 721-2645 or Michele Meeker at UCSF (415) 206-3220.

Full article:
http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/story?sec...lth&id=6627887

[RobinN]

YIKES
I don't like the sound of that.

[epileric]

Can someone take legal action for intending to not use someones permission or is it like Canada where you actually have to be the victim before it can go to court?

[Bernard]

It sounds pretty ominous. Then again, ER doctors can pretty much hook you up with any drugs via IV that they feel are necessary (following certain protocols though).

I don't understand how they can force everyone to be a participant and those who don't want to participate must wear a scarlet letter. Seems like they should have to enroll people in to study just like every other study and people who enrolled should have to wear the bracelets.

If I lived in the area, I'd likely be giving the local EFA chapter an earful about this.

[Zoe]

They can do it if it is "for our own good. " It terrifies me. I hope a lot of the folks in that area protest about it or seek some legal action. Too much risk of killing someone with "good intentions.'