Brain Reprogramming, Vaccines Among Future Addiction CuresJuly 14, 2005
Research Summary
Advisers to the British government say future remedies for drug addiction could include "reprogramming" the brains of addicts and inoculating children against alcohol or other drug abuse.The Independent reported July 14 that physicians may someday be able to treat addicts by altering neurotransmitters in the brains, and prevent addiction with vaccines such as the one currently under development by the firm Xenova to address cocaine use.
The U.K. Department of Trade and Industry set up the "Foresight" project to consider new technologies and their impact on society in the next 20 years. The group has proposed ideas like a national immunization program for addiction. It also has predicted that drugs will come to market that are designed to improve mood, intelligence, and memory. Panel members expect pharmaceutical companies to find new ways to deliver medicinal and pleasure-enhancing drugs, such as through impregnated clothing.
"We hope that these findings will give us guidance about what could possibly happen in the future and give us some guidelines about how we can respond to certain issues, like addiction," said a U.K. health ministry spokesperson.
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