Legal aspects of tardive dyskinesia

While the therapeutic value of neuroleptics in the treatment of schizophrenia and psychoses is universally recognized, the risk of tardive dyskinesia linked to the use of these drugs raises ethical and legal problems for the physician. The authors discuss the basic principles linked to these legal aspects of the question: inappropriate indication of neuroleptic treatment, inadequate treatment monitoring, error in diagnosis of tardive dyskinesia and misconduct with regard to informed consent. The various aspects are illustrated by specific cases.