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19 September 2002
Modafinil is a psychostimulant that enhances wakefulness
and vigilance. Developed as a treatment for sleep disorders it serves
as an alternative to amphetamine and caffeine based stimulants. It appears
to have relatively few side-effects and is non-addictive. Quite apart
from its therapeutic use, it clearly has applications where alert wakefulness
over extended periods of time is either necessary (e.g., military pilots)
or desired (e.g., college all-nighters). Increased knowledge being gained
now about human biology through human genome and other areas of research
open the possibility of a significant increase in the public use of drugs
to enhance performance. While there has been discussion of genetic enhancement
and the use of drugs for performance enhancement in athletics, there has
been less public discussion of pharmaceutically aided performance enhancement
for the ordinary consumer. This lecture will provide background about
the development and clinical use of Modafinil and an opportunity for such
a public discussion of its potentially broader social significance. [For
a discussion of Modafinil click
here.]
Keynote speaker:
Respondent:
- Audrey R. Chapman, Ph.D. Director of the AAAS Program of Dialogue on Science, Ethics and Religion and the AAAS Program on Science and Human Rights
Coverage:
 Listen to Dr. Helene Emsellem
Listen to Dr. Audrey Chapman
 Read the Summary
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