 | Cognitive Enhancement, Lifestyle Choice or Misuse of Prescription Drugs?Ethics Blind Spots in Current Debates | |
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Eric Racine1, 2, 3  and Cynthia Forlini1, 2 | (1) | Institut de recherches cliniques de Montréal, Montreal, Canada |
| (2) | Université de Montréal, Montreal, Canada |
| (3) | McGill University, Montreal, Canada |
Received: 16 July 2008 Accepted:31 July 2008 Published online: 4 September 2008 Abstract The prospects of enhancing cognitive or motor functions using neuroscience in otherwise healthy individuals has attracted considerable attention and interest in neuroethics (Farah et al., Nature Reviews Neuroscience 5:421–425,2004; Glannon Journal of Medical Ethics 32:74–78, 2006). The use of stimulants is one of the areas which has propelled the discussion on the potential for neuroscience to yield cognition-enhancing products. However, we have found in our review of the literature that the paradigms used to discuss the non-medical use of stimulant drugs prescribed for attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) vary considerably. In this brief communication, we identify three common paradigms—prescription drug abuse, cognitive enhancement, and lifestyle use of pharmaceuticals—and briefly highlight how divergences between paradigms create important "ethics blind spots". Keywords Neuroethics - Enhancement - Prescription drug misuse - Lifestyle drugs - Public health
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