Ethics Dialogue: Spelling to Communicate – Reply by Mary Jane Weiss

Quigley and colleagues (2024, Behavior Analysis in Practice, https://doi.org/10.1007/s40617-024-01001-4) described a treatment recommendation scenario within a multi-disciplinary team setting for an adult with a developmental disability. The authors presented the information in a standard format to share how the involved parties identified, evaluated, and responded to the recommendation based upon their understanding of ethical decision-making. In this response, the right to effective treatment is emphasized as a primary obligation of the treatment team. The review of the procedure reveals that the intended intervention is one that is both unproven to be effective and similar to an intervention known to be harmful. Multiple available resources support the need to avoid the use of this intervention. Implications and suggestions for decision-making in clinical contexts are highlighted.