The Food and Drug Administration has placed a final rule decision on its May 2026 regulatory agenda to ban Graduated Electronic Decelerators (GEDs), electric shock devices used at the Judge Rotenberg Educational Center in Canton, Massachusetts. The devices are used on autistic children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. They're the only devices of their kind still in use anywhere in the United States.

This marks the likely end of a decades-long legal battle. The FDA first banned GEDs in March 2020, but a federal appeals court overturned that ban in July 2021, ruling the agency lacked authority to regulate how doctors use medical devices. Congress responded by amending the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act through the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2022, clarifying that the FDA can ban a device for a specific use regardless of other approved uses. The FDA proposed a new ban in March 2024 based on this expanded authority.

The May 2026 timeline was confirmed in a regulatory update published in September 2025, delaying the expected October 2025 date by seven months.

What GEDs Are and Who They're Used On

GEDs deliver electric shocks to a person's skin in response to behaviors staff deem problematic. The Judge Rotenberg Center is the only facility in the country that uses them. According to the center and its affiliated parents' association, the devices are used "only as a treatment of last resort" for residents "at risk of grievous bodily harm, or even death, without it."

The FDA disagrees. The agency says the devices pose significant physical and psychological risks, including pain, burns, tissue damage, anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder. The United Nations special rapporteur on torture has condemned the use of GEDs as a violation of international human rights standards.

Former residents describe the experience as traumatic. At a 2023 Massachusetts legislative hearing on a state bill to ban the devices, one former student testified, "I have had nightmares for 14 years."

The Legal History Behind This Decision

The FDA's path to banning GEDs has been anything but straightforward.

In 2020, the FDA issued its first ban, making GEDs only the third medical device in the agency's history to be prohibited. The Judge Rotenberg Center sued. In 2021, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit ruled in favor of the center, saying federal law restricts the FDA from interfering with medical practice, which is regulated by states.

Congress stepped in. The 2022 Consolidated Appropriations Act expanded the FDA's authority to ban devices for specific uses, effectively overturning the court's reasoning. The FDA proposed a new ban in March 2024 and accepted public comments through May 2024.

Now, two years later, the decision appears imminent.

What This Means for Families

For families with loved ones currently at the Judge Rotenberg Center, the ban would require the facility to stop using GEDs entirely. The center would need to transition residents to alternative behavior support approaches or families would need to find other placements.

For the broader disability community, the ban represents a milestone in the decades-long fight against aversive interventions. Organizations including the Autistic Self Advocacy Network, Disability Rights International, and the Community Alliance for the Ethical Treatment of Youth have campaigned to shut down the Judge Rotenberg Center and end the use of shock devices.

Zoe Gross, director of advocacy at ASAN, told reporters in 2021, "There are people with the same level of needs and issues all over the country being served in different settings with different methods, not with torture. There are alternatives."

Those alternatives include positive behavior support (PBS), a widely used approach that focuses on understanding the reasons behind challenging behaviors and teaching new skills, rather than punishing behaviors with pain. PBS strategies are used in schools, group homes, and residential programs across the country for people with the same support needs as those at the Judge Rotenberg Center.

What Families Can Do Now

If you're tracking this decision or want to stay informed:

• Monitor the FDA's regulatory agenda. The May 2026 timeline means the final rule could be published anytime this month. The rule will be posted on the Federal Register website when it's finalized.
• Connect with advocacy organizations. The Autistic Self Advocacy Network's #StopTheShock campaign provides updates and action alerts. Disability Rights International and other national organizations continue to monitor the situation.
• Ask about alternatives if you're considering placement options. If you're exploring residential programs for a family member, ask directly about behavior management approaches. Programs using positive behavior support should be able to describe their methods in detail without mentioning pain-based interventions.

If your loved one is currently at the Judge Rotenberg Center and you have concerns about how the ban will affect their placement, contact the facility directly about their transition plan. Massachusetts also has a Department of Developmental Services that oversees residential placements and can provide information about other options.

What Happens Next

Once the FDA publishes the final rule, it will include an effective date. That date will determine when the Judge Rotenberg Center must stop using GEDs. The center could challenge the ban in court again, but the legal context has changed significantly since 2021 due to Congress clarifying the FDA's authority.

State legislation in Massachusetts is also pending. House Bill H.245 would permanently ban the use of GEDs and other aversive practices in residential programs at the state level, creating an additional layer of protection regardless of the FDA's action.

For families who've spent years advocating for this change, the May 2026 timeline represents progress. For those unfamiliar with the issue, it's a reminder that disability rights battles continue and that oversight matters when it comes to how society treats its most vulnerable members.