The American and Australian scientists behind this drug have been looking long and hard at the way glial cells (which make up roughly 90 per cent of your brain) respond to alcohol. These cells play a crucial role in the body’s immune defence system, helping to fight off infections. The drug makes it so the glial cells, essentially shut off. In tests on mice this has reduced the signs of drunkenness to almost nothing. Mice given enough alcohol to make them dance on a tiny table with their pants off barely showed any signs of being buzzed. Hooray for science! So, why do I think this is a bad thing?
There’s a very good reason that your immune system responds in such a dramatic way to alcohol: it can kill you. That’s one of the good things about drunkenness — it’s somewhat self-limiting (in most people). You get really drunk, and you act stupid, kiss someone you’re not supposed to, and usually go to sleep before you’ve had enough to kill you. Remember that whole Four Loko debacle last year? Where people were getting extraordinarily f**ked up but didn’t realise it because there were so caffeinated, and a lot of them ended up in the hospital with alcohol poisoning? That’s what we’re talking about here. Call me a Negative Nostradamus, but I predict that if this drug gets approved people will die.
The idea behind it is that it could help people from embarrassing themselves on a night out. Yeah, because puking your guts out while your brian thinks it’s completely sober isn’t embarrassing. Because getting thrown in jail because you were driving with an insanely high blood-alcohol level, “but I swear, officier, I’m completely lucid” isn’t embarrassing. It makes me want to start working for the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA), work my way up to the top in a couple of months (with my go-getterness), just so I can veto the hell out of it when they try to get this thing through the system. [The Telegraph]
Image: Shutterstock/kiep
Jono
Tuesday, October 4, 2011 at 9:08 AMhmm yea its a strange concept.
though,
People drink large amounts of aclohol to enjoy the effects of the drug, not because they really really love drinking 20 beers. It is rare that someone will sit down and drink 20 cans of coke in one session.
The pill still could be abused in drinknig competitions etc. but I would assume you would throw up after any large ammount of alcohol has been drunk and feel quite ill.
You are also stating the obvious that this could be a dangerous drug. It would never be freely available for use if the associated risk weren’t addressed.
EckyThump
Tuesday, October 4, 2011 at 9:53 AMThinking the same thing,.. If they could make it so you at least get a decent buzz, but not shit faced, I could understand it, but if you don’t actually get drunk, what’s the point? They need something that will let you reach a certain percentage of blood alcohol and then flush the rest out, at the same time keeping that percentage! #]
B3n
Tuesday, October 4, 2011 at 9:57 AMWhy not just act like an idiot and drink *insert-preferred-non-alcoholic-beverage-name-here* instead?
sketchy
Tuesday, October 4, 2011 at 11:18 AMI just want to know who is paying these guys, seriously how do they get the funding to pursue this? Surely there are more important things these scientists could be working on?
Pointyweasel
Tuesday, October 4, 2011 at 11:25 AMOr it could be used like Naltrexone implants for other drug addicts to wean them off? I.e if there is no buzz people might stop killing themselves on fruity lexia. No I’m sure it’s so they can drink as many of those tasty bicardi breezers after a hard day in the lab as they want.
Priggle
Tuesday, October 4, 2011 at 11:30 AMSo you’re referencing a Newspaper, and making assertions as to the validity of the science? Pah-lease. Read the freakin’ paper and get some fucking perspective.
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1476-5381.2011.01572.x/pdf
The upshot of the work is that it’s about blocking the receptors to combat binge drinking/abuse, and alcohol dependence.
Philip
Tuesday, October 4, 2011 at 11:47 AMHeh, ‘brian’.
DarthDVD
Tuesday, October 4, 2011 at 12:49 PMthis wont protect your liver.
and would would still kill brain cells
I could see this being used as part of a court order for problem alcoholics.
like:
you have been found to be behind the wheel drunk 3 times and you have not amended your behavour.. no booze for you.
or:
Assult while boozed up… No booze for you.
and:
you have been put in the “spin dry” 3 times in 3 months… No booze for you.
hey isnt there a pill that has the oppisite effect… it makes you a “cheap” drunk. so you have 1 light beer and you fall asleep. (well below the legal limit for driving or for doing silly stuff).
Kendal
Tuesday, October 4, 2011 at 12:55 PMBrian’s problem is that he always thinks he’s sober when he’s not. Ah Brian, we luv ye.
Horace
Tuesday, October 4, 2011 at 12:57 PMFYI, in Australia we have the TGA (Therapeutic Goods Administration) . FDA is American.
light487
Tuesday, October 4, 2011 at 2:22 PMHaha yes.. but are they really any different.. the TGA have a VERY difficult time thinking for themselves.
Wok
Tuesday, October 4, 2011 at 1:27 PM6 am in the morning after a 12 hour session.
Pop one of these bad boys and it’s time to be off to work!.
EckyThump
Tuesday, October 4, 2011 at 1:38 PMPretty sure you have to take them before the binge dude! #]
TomasoMangusta
Tuesday, October 4, 2011 at 2:13 PMI can see this being useful for Alcoholics attempting to make a recovery. There are medications already out there that are aimed at preventing someone from drinking through the threat of extreme physical sickness (Antabuse) but it doesn’t help with the craving. Perhaps if this drug is taken before, or in the place of, Antabuse it might help ween people off. Not saying it would be for everyone, but I imagine if you are able to take away a majority of the effects it might be a preventative measure for those who are on their way to a serious problem. Thats my two cents anyway.
light487
Tuesday, October 4, 2011 at 2:21 PMWhat they need to come up with is Star Trek “Synthehol”.. so you can feel all the effects of the alcohol but at the mere thought of not wanting the effects anymore, they are gone..
smurfydog
Tuesday, October 4, 2011 at 5:19 PMAs others have indicated, I can see this being useful in treatment of alcohol addiction.
Probably not to replace existing therapies, but as a compliment to them to help prevent a relapse, or as an aid to early diversion.
Sharpy
Tuesday, October 4, 2011 at 8:32 PM“It is rare that someone will sit down and drink 20 cans of coke in one session.” Excuse me i do this every time i go to LAN parties.. I drink either that many cokes in 5 hours or about 4-5 2L bottles.. I end up pissing like a race horse but yes its quite satisfying. I might be dead soon but hey i lived good :) *BURP*
Bonner
Wednesday, November 9, 2011 at 8:56 AMGreat article but it didn’t have evryehitngI didn’t find the kitchen sink!