Tuesday, February 22, 2005

Fighting drugs with drugs is latest addiction therapy KRT wire story at the Grand Forks Herald (and many other papers around the US) - "The weapon of the future in the war on drugs will likely be ... drugs. Researchers are optimistic about a host of new medications that target the chemical cycle of addiction. Some block the intense pleasure that makes drugs such as heroin so seductive while others calm the brain during withdrawal. Long-acting versions of two drugs already approved - naltrexone for heroin addicts and alcoholics, and buprenorphine for opiate addicts - are on the horizon. They should combat one of the biggest treatment problems: Addicts often dislike taking anything that prevents getting high. Other researchers are taking a different tack, testing vaccines that teach the body to treat illicit drugs like invading microbes..."