Arrr, can it be that thar be a magical pill that removes fatigue without makin’ ye jittery or addicted?
Modafinil—better known as Provigil—is fast becoming America’s newest “go pill.” Made by Cephalon, a small publicly traded biotech firm in West Chester, Pa., Provigil is a central-nervous-system drug that promotes hyper-focus and alertness. Patients using Provigil in clinical tests functioned normally—for example, completing tedious computer tasks—after up to 54 hours without sleep.
In 1998 the FDA approved Provigil to treat narcolepsy, but doctors prescribe it “off label” as a fatigue fighter for airline pilots, long-haul truckers, and medical residents. Users say the drug doesn’t make them jittery the way caffeine does. One 200-milligram pill restores focus and alertness as effectively as three tall lattes and costs $5. And all the clinical data show that the drug has none of the addictive qualities of amphetamines like Dexedrine. Because Provigil has fewer side effects than Ritalin, it’s even being prescribed to some children with attention-deficit disorder.
Too tempting by half, sez I.
(via BoingBoing)