The following letter is an excerpt of my recent feedback to Wolters Kluwer, a publisher of periodical the “Journal of ECT”, submitted in a Wolters Kluwer Customer Service Survey‏, October 11, 2009.

Chris Dubey

email address: chrisdubey@hotmail.com

Web address: http://shimmersplash.livejournal.com/

Wolters Kluwer

P.O. Box 1030

2400 BA, Alphen aan den Rijn

The Netherlands

email address: info@wolterskluwer.com

Web address: http://www.wolterskluwer.com/WK/

Wolters Kluwer:

The response from your customer service representative on October 1 at 2:02 p.m., local time, was professional.

However, I am unsure if the executives of Wolters Kluwer were made aware of the fact that, as I informed your representative on October 1 at 7:54 p.m., the company is engaging in extreme corporate risk by being a publisher of the controversial “Journal of ECT” and the journal’s scientifically dubious, ethically suspect, contentious research.

When the general public discovers the atrocities and grave dangers caused by electroshock, also known by the medical euphemism of “electroconvulsive therapy” or ECT, then all affiliated parties that could reasonably be considered accomplices will be in jeopardy of legal penalty, public censure, and corporate collapse.

In that case, if Wolters Kluwer remains a publisher of the “Journal of ECT”, without open acknowledgment of the extreme ethical issues and perils caused by electroshock…to patients, therapists, as well as the general public…then Wolters Kluwer will be positioning itself for corporate self–destruction.

— Chris Dubey, activist

The following open letter is published by the Autistic Self Advocacy Network / ASAN, a nonprofit group whose aim is to empower autistic people. Ari Ne‘eman, Founding President of the Network, gave me permission to copy the letter here. Complete documentation of the original letter is at the end of this LiveJournal entry.

Letter to the Sponsors, Donors and Supporters of Autism Speaks

Published by Admin on 2009/10/7 (108 reads)

The following letter from over 60 disability rights organizations has been sent to numerous national sponsors of Autism Speaks. Individual signatories can show their support by signing the petition at http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/AutismSpeaks. Please feel free to distribute this to your networks.

To the Sponsors, Donors and Supporters of Autism Speaks:

We, the undersigned organizations representing self advocates, parents, professionals and allies in the Autism, Autistic and Disability Communities, are writing to you to express our concern about the recent actions of Autism Speaks. Our work is about helping empower and support people with disabilities of all kinds, including adults and youth on the autism spectrum, and we recognize that there are a wide variety of means towards accomplishing this goal. Yet, Autism Speaks’ recent choice to use fear, stigma, misinformation and prejudice against Autistic people as a fundraising tool does real damage to people with disabilities everywhere. The most recent example of this lack of ethics can be found in Autism Speaks’ new “I am Autism” campaign which states, “I am autism...I know where you live...I work faster than pediatric AIDS, cancer and diabetes combined. And if you’re happily married, I will make sure that your marriage fails. Your money will fall into my hands and I will bankrupt you for my own self-gain...I will make it virtually impossible for your family to easily attend a temple, birthday party, or public park without a struggle, without embarrassment, without pain...I am autism. I have no interest in right or wrong. I derive great pleasure out of your loneliness."

Bibliography

Author: Ari Ne’eman. Web page: Letter to the Sponsors, Donors and Supporters of Autism Speaks. Web site: The Autistic Self Advocacy Network (ASAN) - Dedicated to advancing understanding, acceptance, & support for the autistic community. Date: October 7, 2009. Institution: Autistic Self Advocacy Network / ASAN. Date of access: October 9, 2009. Web address: http://www.autisticadvocacy.org/modules/smartsection/item.php?itemid=61.

The following is a copy of an email I recently sent to Nancie Steinberg, Chamberlain Communications of Neuronetics.

Subject: RE: Am I a Candidate for TMS Therapy?‏

From: Chris Dubey (chrisdubey@hotmail.com)

Sent: Fri 9/25/09 8:13 AM

To: nsteinberg@chamberlainpr.com

Cc: info@neuronetics.com; mbausinger@neuronetics.com

Chris Dubey

[deletion]

Nancie Steinberg, Chamberlain Communications

Neuronetics

31 General Warren Blvd.

Malvern, PA 19355-1245

Nancie Steinberg:

I am writing in response to an article that refers to a service given by your company, NeuroStar TMS Therapy. The article is entitled "Am I a Candidate for TMS Therapy?".

For reference…

"Am I a Candidate for TMS Therapy?":

http://www.harthosp.org/InstituteOfLiving/TMSTherapy/Candidates/default.aspx

In response…

"Advertising for Electroshockers: Is Newspaper the “Hartford Courant” Selling Out?":

http://shimmersplash.livejournal.com/38959.html

"Name that Psychiatric Illogic!":

http://shimmersplash.livejournal.com/24719.html

Yours Truly,

Subject: RE: Electroconvulsive Therapy for Treatment of Refractory Depression in a Patient with Cystic Fibrosis‏
From: Chris Dubey (chrisdubey@hotmail.com)
Sent: Thu 9/24/09 4:26 PM
To: terry.materese@wolterskluwer.com

Chris Dubey
[deletion]

Terry Materese, Publisher
The Journal of ECT

Terry Materese:

I am writing in response to an article your company published, "Electroconvulsive Therapy for Treatment of Refractory Depression in a Patient with Cystic Fibrosis".

For reference…

"Electroconvulsive Therapy for Treatment of Refractory Depression in a Patient with Cystic Fibrosis":

http://journals.lww.com/ectjournal/Abstract/2006/03000/Electroconvulsive_Therapy_for_Treatment_of.16.aspx

In response…

1. "Advertising for Electroshockers: Is Newspaper the "Hartford Courant” Selling Out?":

http://shimmersplash.livejournal.com/38959.html

2. "Name that Psychiatric Illogic!":

http://shimmersplash.livejournal.com/24719.html

Yours Truly,

Chris Dubey