PHR condemns forced sedation of detainees solely to facilitate deportation

PHR condemns US policy encouraging forced sedation of immigration detainees with powerful psychotropic medication – solely to facilitate deportation.  PHR's concerns are laid out in a January 2008 letter to the government officials responsible for the policy, including oversight of the health professionals who forcibly administer the drugs. The letter exposes the danger of shifting the physician's role from "healer" to "deportation officer." It shows that the policy violates principles of "sound medical practice, correctional health standards, medical ethics, and the law." It also urges immediate adoption of the rule firmly established in medical and legal tradition: involuntary sedation may be used only when

1. the detainee has a serious mental illness;
2. the detainee's dangerous behavior is attributable to the mental illness; and
3. the forced medical treatment for that illness is necessary to prevent harm.