Update on legal issues associated with tardive dyskinesia

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