§ Mr. Woodhouseasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what experiments in psychosurgery have taken place in hospitals or medical research establishments in the United Kingdom; and what safeguards are imposed upon them.
§ Mr. AlisonI am not aware of any psychosurgical experiments being carried out on human subjects in England. New and improved techniques have been developed through animal experimental work. These procedures, which hold out new promise, are being used to help selected patients.
Precise guidance has been given to National Health Service hospitals with regard to research experiments involving human subjects. All hospital authorities were asked to set up groups of doctors, including some with experience of clinical investigation, to scrutinise clinical investigations in their hospitals. All human subjects must be volunteers in the sense that consent is freely given with a proper understanding of the nature and consequence of what is proposed.
It is the case also that operations generally are only undertaken when medical and psychiatric measures have failed; and permission of the patient and his relatives is obtained.