Medikamentenversuche in der Deutschschweizer Psychiatrie 1950–1990: Zum aktuellen Stand der Forschung

Germann, Urs (2022). Medikamentenversuche in der Deutschschweizer Psychiatrie 1950–1990: Zum aktuellen Stand der Forschung. Schweizerische Zeitschrift für Geschichte, 72(1), pp. 75-91. Schwabe 10.24894/2296-6013.00098

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Between 1950 and 1980 at least 10’000–20’000 patients of Swiss psychiatric institutions were involved in clinical trials of non-certified neuroleptics and antidepressants. Most of them were not informed about their medication and could not give their consent. The article summarizes the results of recent studies for the German-speaking part of Switzerland. It is argued that problematic clinical trials must be seen in the context of the «therapeutic revolution» in psychiatry and general medicine in the post-war era rather than in the context of repressive welfare policies. In fact, available data suggest that particularly vulnerable people (children in residential homes, administrative detainees etc.) were not systematically included. Analysis of patients’ files also show that in clinical trials experimental and therapeutic rationales of treatment often overlapped. Nevertheless, it will be important for future research to consider the implications of psychiatric hospitalizations and interventions on welfare practices more systematically.

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