Controversies Surrounding the Pediatric Bipolar Diagnosis & Treatment (Bioethics Briefs)

A research scholar at a bioethics center describes issues and controversies with children diagnosed with bipolar disorders or a newer diagnosis proposed for the DSM-V, temper dysregulation disorder with dysphoria (TDD), which would reclassify those who may have been given a bipolar label. Discusses some issues involved with changing diagnoses, and with the lack of effective treatments for either. Excellent, very informative commentary examining pros and cons.

Conference on Alternative Strategies for Alcoholism Treatment

Alcoholism treatment strategies and ethical challenges, with video archives in three parts. Part one features David Musto on temperance history, and starting at 00:40:15 Charles O’Brien details modern pharmacological treatments. Part two has Kathleen Carroll in an animated talk about trials of behavioural therapies and combined approaches, then at 00:57:35 Arthur Caplan speaks about ethical issues around why drug treatment for alcoholism feels threatening to some and their sense of autonomy. Part three is a fascinating panel discussion on legal and ethical issues in specific case reports (includes problems with the grossly inadequate Canadian mental health system and war-on-drugs US Customs bullies: Canadians who seek treatment in the US will get banned for life). Accompanying pdfs here. Unfortunately the slides are mostly not visible, but it’s still a cool event worth watching.

[Short clip embedded above; link to full video below.]

title The Gender Puzzle
description Androgen Insensitivity Syndrome, genetics, intersex, and gender beyond chromosomes or culture. A pay per view video on demand (PPV VOD) costing one British pound but worth it. An excellent documentary. From the description: “Scientists are now looking beyond chromosomes to ‘brain sex’ and the role of newly discovered genes. By studying transsexuals and people on the gender extremes, they believe they can unlock the gender puzzle.”
producer Janine Cohen, for ABC Australia
featuring Janine Cohen, Christie North & family, Vince Harley, Andrew Sinclair, Louise Newman, Andie Hider & family, Garry Warne, Fintan Harte, Craig Andrews and many more
format Flash
date 17/11/05
length 00:44:50
link http://www.booserver.com/projects.php?ProjectID=2394

Tags: brain video documentary PPV sex gender genetics intersex transsexual transgender bioethics LGBT

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title Britain’s Most Dangerous Drug
description London’s Dana Centre Science Cafe hosted a webcast discussion after a BBC Horizon screening of Is alcohol worse than ecstacy? Psychopharmacologist David Nutt was lead author on a controversial study in The Lancet* comparing the harms of substances of abuse. He and psychologist Theodora Duka join facilitator Hugh Whittall to discuss the issues. “How do the brain and body react to each stimulant as it passes into the bloodstream, and what are the long-term effects of drugs relative to their [legal] classification? If the current classification should be changed in view of the latest findings, what exactly is Britain’s most dangerous drug?” Discussions and a BBC web poll mostly judge it to be alcohol (last noted at 35%, ranked above heroin and tobacco).
producer BBC Horizon, and the Science Museum
featuring David Nutt, Theodora Duka, Hugh Whittall
format Quicktime
date 05/02/08
length near 01:00:00
link http://www.danacentre.org.uk/events/2008/02/05/360
doi 10.1016/S0140-6736(07)60464-4

* NUTT, D., KING, L., SAULSBURY, W., BLAKEMORE, C. (2007). Development of a rational scale to assess the harm of drugs of potential misuse. The Lancet, 369(9566), 1047-1053. DOI: 10.1016/S0140-6736(07)60464-4 (includes Figure 1, above)

Tags: brain webcast neuroethics addiction drugs alcohol psychopharmacology violence danger law harm bioethics

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