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pharmaceuticals
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Pharmaceuticals
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pharmaceuticals
pharmaceuticals
62 Percent of Pill-Popping Scientists Use Ritalin
Today, the results are in for a survey conducted by the scientific journal Nature on "enhancement" drug use among its readers. Turns out 1 in 5 of the 1400 respondents have taken drugs to enhance their performance (i.e., recreationally) rather than to cure a problem. The most popular of these drugs was speedy Ritalin: 62 percent of respondents had used it. It was followed closely by concentration-focusing Provigil (44 percent) and anxiety-reducing beta blockers (15 percent). These scientist drug users were of all ages — in this chart, you can see that drug use for "enhancement" is just as popular among the kids as it is among the seniors. More »
mad science
Testosterone May Be A Cure for Worst Effects of Menopause
Although thousands of women take estrogen replacement therapy (ERT) to avoid the unpleasantness of menopause, study after study has shown that ERT may shorten life. But today researchers announced results from a study of testosterone therapy that suggested the substance known as T may become a crucial ingredient in post-menopausal drug cocktails of the future. More »
pharmaceuticals
Provigil is the Cocaine of the Twenty-First Century
Provigil (AKA modafinil) has been called a wonder drug: it can keep you awake and alert for hours without side-effects, and it's even recommended as "the professor's little helper" by neuroscience researchers writing in the prestigious journal Nature. Provigil, approved by the US food and drug administration for the treatment of narcolepsy, is often prescribed "off label" for ailments like severe jet lag, ADHD, and even problems with sleep cycles. But this drug, which is supposed to be a non-addictive stimulant because it doesn't get you high, turns out to be potentially as euphoria-inducing and addictive as cocaine. More »
mad science
Science Detectives and the Giant Malaria Drug Bust
It's one of the coolest science detective stories in recent memory. The ingredients of this tale include 240,000 blisterpacks of fake malaria drugs, a tiny amount of flower pollen, and forensic palynology. A gang selling fake malaria drugs all across Asia had made millions (killing lots of people in the process), and covered their tracks quite efficiently. But there was one thing they hadn't bargained for. The air around their pill-fabrication plant had left an indelible mark on their products. More »
mad science
Will We Drug Soldiers to Make Them Depressed?
Will soldiers of the future be given serotonin depressors to make them depressed and therefore fearless? A new study released Friday shows that people with a low level of serotonin do not "reflexively avoid" bad situations, and are more likely to explore risky and dangerous places. This is a sorry state in everyday life, but might be desirable if you're a soldier and need to venture into spots most people would steer clear of. It's very possible the next "super soldier" drug won't give you superstrength, but just a megadose of depression. More »
biopunk crime
Crackdown on Black Market Hormones
Hormones are the new recreational drugs, helping you maintain that zippy youthful feeling even into your 60s and letting you grow cool secondary sex characteristics your own hormones won't. For those reasons, estrogen is one of the hottest black market hormones. Menopausal women and transsexuals denied estrogen therapy by doctors are buying it from shady operators who make roll-your-own mixes of the hormone and don't warn about the side-effects of estrogen supplements (such as blood clots, stroke, and migraines). Now the FDA is pushing pharmacies to stop carrying the drugs, often called "bioidentical hormone replacement therapy," and trying to prevent Web sites from selling them. [PhysOrg]
mad science
Re-Grow Your Skin With "Cosmeceuticals"
Several new products that hover between being cosmetics and pharmeceuticals promise to make aging skin look young again. And apparently there's medical proof that they work. The main signs of aging skin are an uneven surface, wrinkles, and discoloration. Now a North Carolina dermatologist says each of these symptoms can be treated with simple, topical "cosmeceuticals." We can't grow skin in a vat for you, but we can rejuvenate what you've got. More »
flu vaccine
