THE RIGHT TO REFUSE PSYCHOPHARMACOLOGICAL TREATMENT IN SWITZERLAND - LAW AND REALITY

We discuss the existing or desiderated legal basis for forced medical treatment in psychiatry, in the light of supranational, international and Swiss law. Four situations in which forced medical treatment may o ccur are described and illustrated with case reports. A distinction is drawn between treatment against a destructive will, treatment against lack of will, treatment against an antisocial will, and long-term tre atment against a chronic destructive will. Finally, proposals for impr oved Swiss legislation on forced psychopharmacological treatment are d iscussed.