Update on Legal Issues Associated With Tardive Dyskinesia

Of the various drug therapies, antipsychotic medication presents some novel twists to old issues inlaw and psychiatry. From what is known, its benefits are high but so are its risks, notably the risk oftardive dyskinesia in the case of the neuroleptics. Presented here for consideration are legal issuesof standard of care, informed consent, the right of institutionalized patients to refuse treatment, statuteof limitations, and causal nexus.