The challenge of crafting policy for do-it-yourself brain stimulation

Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), a simple means of brain stimulation, possesses a trifecta of appealing features: it is relatively safe, relatively inexpensive and relatively effective. It is also relatively easy to obtain a device and the do-it-yourself (DIY) community has become galvanised by reports that tDCS can be used as an all-purpose cognitive enhancer. We provide practical recommendations designed to guide balanced discourse, propagate norms of safe use and stimulate dialogue between the DIY community and regulatory authorities. We call on all stakeholders—regulators, scientists and the DIY community—to share in crafting policy proposals that ensure public safety while supporting DIY innovation.

• Publication year

  2013

• Venue

  Journal of Medical Ethics

• Publication date

  2013-06-03

• Fields of study

  Medicine, Political Science, Psychology

• Identifiers
  DOI 10.1136/medethics-2013-101458PMID 23733050PMCID 4431326
• External record

  Open on Semantic Scholar

• Source metadata

  Semantic Scholar, PubMed

• No claims are published for this paper.

• No concepts are published for this paper.

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