Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39042847›Full record

ArticleNeurology2024

Public Views on Whether the Use of Pharmaceutical Neuroenhancements Should Be Allowed.

Saskia Hendriks, Xiaobai Li, Christine Grady, Scott Y Kim

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Neurology, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

4 authors.

Saskia HendriksFrom the Department of Bioethics (S.H., C.G., S.Y.K.), Clinical Center, National Institutes of Health; and Biostatistics and Clinical Epidemiology (X.L.), NIH Clinical Center, Bethesda, MD.ORCID 0000-0003-3574-2306
Xiaobai LiFrom the Department of Bioethics (S.H., C.G., S.Y.K.), Clinical Center, National Institutes of Health; and Biostatistics and Clinical Epidemiology (X.L.), NIH Clinical Center, Bethesda, MD.
Christine GradyFrom the Department of Bioethics (S.H., C.G., S.Y.K.), Clinical Center, National Institutes of Health; and Biostatistics and Clinical Epidemiology (X.L.), NIH Clinical Center, Bethesda, MD.
Scott Y KimFrom the Department of Bioethics (S.H., C.G., S.Y.K.), Clinical Center, National Institutes of Health; and Biostatistics and Clinical Epidemiology (X.L.), NIH Clinical Center, Bethesda, MD.ORCID 0000-0002-9444-4627

Funding

Issues in Research EthicsZIACL010541 · CLC · CLINICAL CENTER · PI KIM, SCOTT · 2015 to 2025
$0k
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND

objectivesSome individuals are using drugs to try to enhance cognitive and social-affective functioning and asking physicians for off-label prescriptions for neuroenhancement (e.g., stimulants). Several medical societies released guidance on prescribing neuroenhancers, some of which refer to potential societal effects of neuroenhancement (e.g., distributive justice), besides risks and benefits to users. Which institutions (e.g., medical societies, government, universities) should make decisions on allowing neuroenhancement and whether they should consider potential societal effects are unclear. We examined whether and how much support for allowing pharmaceutical neuroenhancers was influenced by the institution and potential individual and societal effects of neuroenhancers.

methodsWe conducted a discrete-choice experiment using a constructed representative sample of the US adult public. Multinomial logit models were used to analyze the data.

resultsParticipants (n = 927) demographically resembled the US population. Risks of serious side effects (OR 0.20, CI 0.18-0.22) and a lack of benefits for users (OR 0.31, CI 0.26-0.38) had the largest negative effect on participants' support for allowing neuroenhancers. A risk of mild side effects had a moderate negative effect on participants' support for allowing neuroenhancers (OR 0.67, CI 0.62-0.74) and the prospect of more meaningful, long-lasting benefits for users a moderate positive effect (OR 1.74, CI 1.61-1.87). Positive or negative effects of neuroenhancers on the average well-being of people in society and on equality had moderate effects on participants' support for allowing neuroenhancers. For example, the odds of participants' support for allowing enhancers with a negative effect on societal well-being were around half (OR 0.45, CI 0.40-0.50) and the odds of allowing enhancers that worsen inequality were approximately 40% lower compared with enhancers without such effects (OR 0.62, CI 0.55-0.71). The odds of participants allowing neuroenhancers were slightly (10%) lower if enhancers reduced users' authenticity (OR 0.90, CI 0.84-0.97). The institution regulating neuroenhancers and neuroenhancers providing users with an unfair advantage did not affect participants' decisions. DISCUSSION: When presented with both individual and societal considerations, the public seems to support medical societies and other institutions making policy decisions about neuroenhancers based on risks and benefits for users, as well as, but to a lesser extent, effects on equality and societal well-being.

Indexed as

Public OpinionAdolescentAdultAgedCentral Nervous System StimulantsFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedNootropic AgentsOff-Label UseUnited StatesYoung AdultCentral Nervous System StimulantsNootropic Agents

Identifiers

PMID39042847
PMCPMC11271391

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.