-
25Ethical issues in using a cocaine vaccine to treat and prevent cocaine abuse and dependenceJournal of Medical Ethics 30 (4): 337-340. 2004.A “cocaine vaccine” is a promising immunotherapeutic approach to treating cocaine dependence which induces the immune system to form antibodies that prevent cocaine from crossing the blood brain barrier to act on receptor sites in the brain. Studies in rats show that cocaine antibodies block cocaine from reaching the brain and prevent the reinstatement of cocaine self administration. A successful phase 1 trial of a human cocaine vaccine has been reported. The most promising application of a coca…Read more
-
14Alienation and Authenticity in Parkinson's Disease and Its TreatmentAmerican Journal of Bioethics Neuroscience 5 (4): 54-56. 2014.Why are some patients with Parkinson's disease unhappy about the outcome of deep brain stimulation (DBS)? Meccaci and Haselager (2014) attempt to answer this question by analyzing the seminal case...
-
13Book ForumStudies in History and Philosophy of Science Part C: Studies in History and Philosophy of Biological and Biomedical Sciences 82 101268. 2020.
-
19Australian University Students’ Coping Strategies and Use of Pharmaceutical Stimulants as Cognitive EnhancersFrontiers in Psychology 7. 2016.
-
26The is and ought of the Ethics of Neuroenhancement: Mind the GapFrontiers in Psychology 6. 2015.
-
41A prospectus for ethical analysis of ageing individuals' responsibility to prevent cognitive declineBioethics 31 (9): 657-665. 2017.As the world's population ages, governments and non-governmental organizations in developed countries are promoting healthy cognitive ageing to reduce the rate of age-related cognitive decline and sustain economic productivity in an ageing workforce. Recommendations from the Productivity Commission, Dementia Australia, Government Office for Science, Presidential Commission for the Study of Bioethical Issues, Institute of Medicine, among others, are encouraging older adults to engage in mental, p…Read more
-
18Rethinking Cognitive Enhancement (edited book)Oxford University Press. 2017.This book critically explores and analyses the scientific and ethical debates surrounding cognitive enhancers. Including contributions from neuroscientists, neuropsychopharmacologists, ethicists, philosophers, public health professionals, and policy researchers, the book offers a multidisciplinary, critical consideration of this topic.
-
75Addiction and autonomy: What can neuroscience tell us11th Annual Conference of the Australasian Bioethics Association. forthcoming.
-
13Neither the “Devil’s Lettuce” nor a “Miracle Cure:” The Use of Medical Cannabis in the Care of Children and YouthNeuroethics 15 (1): 1-8. 2022.Lack of guidance and regulation for authorizing medical cannabis for conditions involving the health and neurodevelopment of children is ethically problematic as it promulgates access inequities, risk-benefit inconsistencies, and inadequate consent mechanisms. In two virtual sessions using participatory action research and consensus-building methods, we obtained perspectives of stakeholders on ethics and medical cannabis for children and youth. The sessions focused on the scientific and regulato…Read more
-
33Drug Legalization is Not a Masterstroke for Addressing Racial InequalityAmerican Journal of Bioethics 21 (4): 44-46. 2021.Brian Earp and colleagues argue that the major harms associated with the use of illicit drugs largely arise from, or are at least exacerbated by, the fact that their use attracts criminal pe...
-
14A critical analysis of Australia’s ban on the sale of electronic nicotine delivery systemsNeuroethics 14 (3): 323-331. 2019.Australia does not allow adult smokers to buy or use electronic nicotine delivery systems that contain nicotine without a prescription. This paper critically evaluates the empirical and ethical justifications provided for the policy by Federal and State governments, public health advocates and health organisations. These are: that ENDS should only be approved as products for smoking cessation when there is evidence from randomised controlled trials that they are effective; that as a matter of pr…Read more
-
9Golden Holocaust: Origins of the Cigarette Catastrophe and the Case for Abolition by Robert Proctor (review)History and Philosophy of the Life Sciences 35 (3): 482--484. 2013.
-
18Dealing with Ennui: To What Extent Is “Cognitive Enhancement” a Form of Self-Medication for Symptoms of Depression?American Journal of Bioethics Neuroscience 4 (1): 17-17. 2013.
-
21An Ethical Reevaluation: Where Are the Voices of Those With Anorexia Nervosa and Their Families?American Journal of Bioethics Neuroscience 6 (4): 73-74. 2015.
-
20Addiction May Not Be a Compulsive Brain Disease, But It Is More Than Purposeful Medication of Untreated Psychiatric DisordersAmerican Journal of Bioethics Neuroscience 3 (2): 54-55. 2012.
-
25Lessons for Enhancement From the History of Cocaine and Amphetamine UseAmerican Journal of Bioethics Neuroscience 3 (2): 24-29. 2012.Developments in neuroscience have raised the possibility that pharmaceuticals may be used to enhance memory, mood, and attention in people who do not have an illness or disorder, a practice known as “cognitive enhancement.” We describe historical experiences with two medicinal drugs for which similar enhancement claims were made, cocaine in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, and amphetamines in the mid 20th century. These drugs were initially introduced as medicinal agents in Europe and Nor…Read more
-
17Managing Suicide Risk in Experimental Treatments of Treatment-Resistant DepressionAmerican Journal of Bioethics Neuroscience 4 (1): 38-39. 2013.
-
10Justice and Equity in Trials of Deep Brain Stimulation for the Treatment of Addiction and OvereatingAmerican Journal of Bioethics Neuroscience 4 (2): 54-56. 2013.
-
14Beyond the Right to Injectable HeroinAmerican Journal of Bioethics Neuroscience 1 (1): 48-49. 2010.
-
23Begging the Question: Presupposing That TMS Can Be Shown to Enhance Eyewitness TestimonyAmerican Journal of Bioethics Neuroscience 1 (3): 34-35. 2010.
-
11Deep Brain Stimulation in Parkinsonian Patients—Implications for Trialing DBS in Intractable Psychiatric DisordersAmerican Journal of Bioethics Neuroscience 2 (1): 14-15. 2011.
-
26Deflating the Neuroenhancement BubbleAmerican Journal of Bioethics Neuroscience 2 (4): 38-43. 2011.
-
49Disease or Developmental Disorder: Competing Perspectives on the Neuroscience of AddictionNeuroethics 10 (1): 103-110. 2017.Lewis’ neurodevelopmental model provides a plausible alternative to the brain disease model of addiction that is a dominant perspective in the USA. We disagree with Lewis’ claim that the BDMA is unchallenged within the addiction field but we agree that it provides unduly pessimistic prospects of recovery. We question the strength of evidence for the BDMA provided by animal models and human neuroimaging studies. We endorse Lewis’ framing of addiction as a developmental process underpinned by reve…Read more
-
23Repeated Head Injuries in Australia’s Collision Sports Highlight Ethical and Evidential Gaps in Concussion Management PoliciesNeuroethics 8 (1): 39-45. 2014.Head injuries are an inherent risk of participating in the major collision sports played in Australia. Protocols introduced by the governing bodies of these sports are ostensibly designed to improve player safety but do not prevent players suffering from repeated concussions. There is evidence that repeated traumatic brain injuries increase the risk of developing a number of long term problems but scientific and popular debates have largely focused on whether there is a causal link between concu…Read more
-
34A Bio-Social and Ethical Framework for Understanding Fetal Alcohol Spectrum DisordersNeuroethics 7 (3): 337-344. 2014.The diagnosis of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders is embedded in a matrix of biological, social and ethical processes, making it an important topic for crossdisciplinary social and ethical research. This article reviews different branches of research relevant to understanding how FASD is identified and defined and outlines a framework for future social and ethical research in this area. We outline the character of scientific research into FASD, epidemiological discrepancies between reported patt…Read more
-
90Control and Responsibility in Addicted Individuals: What do Addiction Neuroscientists and Clinicians Think?Neuroethics 7 (2): 205-214. 2013.Impaired control over drug use is a defining characteristic of addiction in the major diagnostic systems. However there is significant debate about the extent of this impairment. This qualitative study examines the extent to which leading Australian addiction neuroscientists and clinicians believe that addicted individuals have control over their drug use and are responsible for their behaviour. One hour semi-structured interviews were conducted during 2009 and 2010 with 31 Australian addiction …Read more
-
26Constraints on Regulatory Options for Putatively Cognitive Enhancing DrugsAmerican Journal of Bioethics 13 (7): 35-37. 2013.No abstract
-
124Views of Addiction Neuroscientists and Clinicians on the Clinical Impact of a 'Brain Disease Model of Addiction'Neuroethics 7 (1): 19-27. 2013.Addiction is increasingly described as a “chronic and relapsing brain disease”. The potential impact of the brain disease model on the treatment of addiction or addicted individuals’ treatment behaviour remains uncertain. We conducted a qualitative study to examine: (i) the extent to which leading Australian addiction neuroscientists and clinicians accept the brain disease view of addiction; and (ii) their views on the likely impacts of this view on addicted individuals’ beliefs and behaviour. T…Read more
-
63Neuroscience research has improved our understanding of the long term consequences of sports-related concussion, but ethical issues related to the prevention and management of concussion are an underdeveloped area of inquiry. This article exposes several examples of conflicts of interest that have arisen and been tolerated in the management of concussion in sport (particularly professional football codes) regarding the use of computerized neuropsychological (NP) tests for diagnosing concussion. …Read more