Schutter D J L G, van den Hoven M
Tijdschr Psychiatr. 2015;57(1):42-6.
Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) has proved effective in the treatment of depression. However, the step that was needed to progress from positive research results to the actual use of TMS to treat patients has raised a number of ethical concerns. The concerns extend beyond matters such as the safety of the technique, the patient's right of access to therapy and the patient's informed consent; ethics are involved because the new treatment can be mind-bending and can interfere with the patient's autonomy and decision-making capacity.
To discuss ethical issues raised by the use of TMS in the treatment of depression.
We reviewed the relevant scientific literature.
The effects of the treatment on the patient's genuine wishes and on his or her views on the efficacy of the treatment are technique-related ethical issues that have not yet been adequately addressed. Furthermore, the effects of TMS on the patient's autonomy and mental capacity and the 'last resort' argument in relation to the effectiveness of the therapy are context-related considerations that warrant further discussion.
There will have to be more research and discussion among researchers and clinicians about specific ethical questions before TMS can take its rightful place in clinical practice.
经颅磁刺激（TMS）已被证明在治疗抑郁症方面有效。然而，从积极的研究结果发展到实际使用TMS治疗患者这一过程引发了一些伦理问题。这些问题不仅涉及技术安全性、患者接受治疗的权利以及患者的知情同意等事项；伦理问题还涉及到新治疗方法可能会令人思维混乱，并可能干扰患者的自主性和决策能力。
探讨使用TMS治疗抑郁症所引发的伦理问题。
我们查阅了相关科学文献。
治疗对患者真实意愿及其对治疗效果看法的影响是尚未得到充分解决的技术相关伦理问题。此外，TMS对患者自主性和心理能力的影响以及与治疗效果相关的“最后手段”论点是需要进一步讨论的情境相关考量因素。
在TMS能够在临床实践中占据应有地位之前，研究人员和临床医生之间需要就具体的伦理问题进行更多的研究和讨论。
