British Medical Association Cautions on Pills for Mental Performance
Nov 13th, 2007 • Posted in: NewsLONDON
A trend of healthy people taking pills to boost their mental performance is raising some ethics concerns, say British doctors.
The Reuters news agency reports that the British Medical Association last week called for a public debate over the implications of using drugs to improve memory and concentration.
According to the BBC, scientists in Britain are worried that the same type of people who are willing to undergo the risks of plastic surgery in search of the perfect body also may subject themselves to dangers in order to increase their brainpower.
BBC health reporter Clare Murphy writes: “Scientists are painting a picture of a time when toddlers pop pills on the way to playgroup while employees are forced to quaff various cocktails to boost their productivity. But sinister as that may sound, the benefits could be immense. A world where everyone is that much brighter might not just make for more enlightened conversation, it could accelerate the quest for a cure for cancer or an end to famine.”
The Irish Independent reports that the medical association’s ethics panel is concerned by evidence that more consumers are using drugs to increase cognitive function. A 2006 U.S. study, for example, found that of more than a thousand students questioned, more than 16 percent used prescription drugs as “study aids.”
London’s Daily Mirror reports that drugs often used to treat attention deficit disorder, such as Ritalin and modafinil, are being bought online by consumers who do not have those impairments but believe that the pills will enhance their mental ability.
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