Rogers v Commissioner: denouement of an important right-to-refuse- treatment case

Abstract

After almost 9 years of passage through various courts, the right-to-refuse-treatment case of Rogers v Commissioner of Mental Health has reached its final resolution in Massachusetts. The author outlines the substantive rulings of this decision in contemporary context, its importance for clinicians in general, and its implications for practice. He proposes that the case presents many problematic elements that could possibly impede good clinical care.