03 August 2008

Police employing Versed during arrests

"For almost two years, Metro [Nashville] police have had the option of calling for a needle loaded with a strong sedative to control the most unruly people they encounter on the street.

One of the doctors who came up with the protocol said it's the safest option out there and that it is used all over the country. But many people said that the injection was news to them, and a top medical ethicist said it's a troubling precedent.

The drug is called Midazolam, which is better known as Versed. People who have had a colonoscopy have probably had a shot of the drug for the procedure...

"I woke up -- I don't know how much time had passed -- with a sergeant standing over me telling me to sign here... I just signed a piece of paper and was immediately right back out," he said...

The biggest side effect that is seen in more than 80 percent of those who are injected with Versed is amnesia. The side effect raises the question of a person being able to defend themselves in court if they can't remember what happened..."

More details at this link.

No comments:

Post a Comment

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...