ktlight
10th May 2011, 07:22
Science fiction writers have often imagined a world where pop pill to cure or curb a range of ills.
But, according to a new book The Compass Of Pleasure, that futuristic world may not be far off.
The book, by Johns Hopkins University neuroscientist David J. Linden, explores the search for drugs that may alter behaviour by working on the brain.
These drugs are often called 'psychopharmaceuticals', and they can be used to stop smoking, quit drinking, ward off midnight cravings or even stay faithful to our spouse.
Critics argue that it is dangerous to meddle in human behaviour, which has many nuances and factors that are poorly understood.
There is also the possibility for harmful side effects, as anyone who has seen a pharmaceutical ad on TV might suspect.
Further, could behavior-altering drugs become tools of criminals, or even terrorists.
Liquid Trust: Selling for $30 for a quarter of an ounce, an oxytocin-based spray is said to offer 'the power of trust'
The book's author, Mr Linden, told the New York Post that the emerging field poses several important ethical questions.
He said: 'Do you honestly think that the FDA will approve a drug to keep men from cheating? I don't think so.
'Even if a drug had no side effects, if it was the perfect drug, I don't think society is going there.'
However, Mr Linden misses the fact that the FDA has no jurisdiction over drugs made in other countries, which are already the source of millions of pills routinely smuggled into this country, often through legal mail services via online orders.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1384904/Psychopharmaceuticals-Pills-set-make-WANT-exercise-eat-less.html#ixzz1Ls8Gitat
But, according to a new book The Compass Of Pleasure, that futuristic world may not be far off.
The book, by Johns Hopkins University neuroscientist David J. Linden, explores the search for drugs that may alter behaviour by working on the brain.
These drugs are often called 'psychopharmaceuticals', and they can be used to stop smoking, quit drinking, ward off midnight cravings or even stay faithful to our spouse.
Critics argue that it is dangerous to meddle in human behaviour, which has many nuances and factors that are poorly understood.
There is also the possibility for harmful side effects, as anyone who has seen a pharmaceutical ad on TV might suspect.
Further, could behavior-altering drugs become tools of criminals, or even terrorists.
Liquid Trust: Selling for $30 for a quarter of an ounce, an oxytocin-based spray is said to offer 'the power of trust'
The book's author, Mr Linden, told the New York Post that the emerging field poses several important ethical questions.
He said: 'Do you honestly think that the FDA will approve a drug to keep men from cheating? I don't think so.
'Even if a drug had no side effects, if it was the perfect drug, I don't think society is going there.'
However, Mr Linden misses the fact that the FDA has no jurisdiction over drugs made in other countries, which are already the source of millions of pills routinely smuggled into this country, often through legal mail services via online orders.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1384904/Psychopharmaceuticals-Pills-set-make-WANT-exercise-eat-less.html#ixzz1Ls8Gitat