Better thinking through chemistry

Is the next doping scandal going to be academic?

Healthy people are increasingly turning to brain-enhancing drugs like Ritalin to boost their performance in school or at work, researchers said on Monday.

And while some expressed alarm over the trend, others embraced the idea, provided the drugs are proven safe. . .

Volkow said recent surveys on college campuses suggest drugs like Novartis' Ritalin, or methylphenidate, and Cephalon's Provigil, or modafinil, for narcolepsy are being used by students, professors and others as a way to get a competitive edge.

Posted by David on December 8, 2008 9:42 AM