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Doctor

Canada

"Pill may help fight gambling addiction"

Source: National Post

Published: 23 Feb 2006

Category: Pharmaceutical

Rating: (½ star)

what they said (Hover the mouse cursor over underlined words for more info)

A pill to treat compulsive gambling is yielding promising results in clinical trials in the United States. In a large study, nalmefene, approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for the intravenous treatment of heroin overdoses, is proving successful in curbing the urge to gamble. In a four-month trial of 207 people in 15 outpatient treatment centres across the U.S., researchers at the University of Minnesota found that almost 60% of the participants taking the drug reported a much improved or very much improved condition....

The original article can be found at: http://www.canada.com/nationalpost/news/bodyandhealth/story.html?id=59a6b7c9-ee3f-4795-b748-52568e349cba

The original article can found in the Media Doctor archives.

how did it rate? (more information)

Criteria	Rating
Total Score	1 of 11
Availability of Treatment	Not Satisfactory (?)
Novelty of Treatment	Satisfactory (?)
Disease Mongering	Not Satisfactory (?)
Treatment Options	Not Satisfactory (?)
Costs of Treatment	Not Satisfactory (?)
Evidence	Not Satisfactory (?)
Quantification of Benefits of Treatment	Not Satisfactory (?)
Harms of Treatment	Not Satisfactory (?)
Sources of Information	Not Satisfactory (?)
Relies on Press Release	Not Satisfactory (?)
Quantification of Harms of Treatment	Not Satisfactory (?)

what we said (Hover the mouse cursor over underlined words for more info)

This story strikes out on almost all accounts. One would have received much more information from reading the press release which at least indicated the type of trial conducted and the measurement scale being used.

There is much that is controversial about the medicalization of gambling addiction yet we readers would get no sense of this from the article. Even in a very short article of this type (187 words) it is possible to do more than simply reprint selective bits from the press release. Gambling addiction is real and highly problematic, but this article will not help improve the reader's knowledge of how it can be safely combated with the treatment mentioned.

public forum

(02 Aug 2008) Shawn Jordan from 21 Steps to STOP Gambling writes,

"A pill will not work when it comes to treating troubled gamblers.

For more information on how a pill just becomes an addiction switch be sure to read "The Heart of Addiction" by Lance Dodes MD. He does a good job of explaining how addictions to pills, alcohol, gambling, drugs etc. affect the addictive process of thinking.

In order for tools of treatment and treatment to be effective for troubled gamblers it should be measured for it's abilities to:

Help the client (patient) to abstain from gambling, remove tempation and desire to gamble from thinking, increase productivity at work, improve relationships with friends and family, manage money more effectively including recovering from debts and financial adversities caused by gambling loss, improve self esteem and sense of self worth.

A pill - can't do that.

Shawn Jordan
21 Steps to STOP Gambling"

Media Doctor response,

"Thanks for your comments."

(07 Sep 2006) Helga writes,

"cool site"

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