Violence linked to neurology

http://www.youtube.com/watch This video explores the link between good brain health and violent behaviour. Alcoholism is often linked to violent behaviour but the cause is more complex. In my paper on the medico-legal aspects of high dose baclofen prescribing I show how research has not proven a link between either alcohol consumption or mental illness and … Continue reading Violence linked to neurology

Baclofen Treatment in the Criminal Law Context

While the debate about the efficacy of baclofen treatment for alcohol use disorder continues, the relevance of the treatment and underlying diagnosis of an anxiety disorder is important now in the context of criminal cases where there is a question as to the mental capacity of an accused to form the requisite intention to commit … Continue reading Baclofen Treatment in the Criminal Law Context

New Paper:The Use of Baclofen as a Treatment for Alcohol Use Disorder: A Clinical Practice Perspective

The Use of Baclofen as a Treatment for Alcohol Use Disorder: A Clinical Practice Perspective (click to read) Frontiers in Psychiatry has just published a new paper on baclofen in the treatment of alcoholism written by pre-eminent authorities on the subject.   The authors of the paper review the use of baclofen in treatment disorder and the … Continue reading New Paper:The Use of Baclofen as a Treatment for Alcohol Use Disorder: A Clinical Practice Perspective

Open letter to Science Magazine regarding NIH investigation of George Koob

Dear Jocelyn, Earlier, I sent you an email with some links to my involvement in baclofen treatment for alcoholism. What prompted me to write to you was your article about George Koob being investigated in relation to his stopping funding policy studies. I've been following baclofen studies for the past 9 years. Baclofen was first … Continue reading Open letter to Science Magazine regarding NIH investigation of George Koob

Baclofen user takes French ANSM to court

   The French society for safety in medicines decided unilaterally to reduce the permissible dosage of baclofen to 80 mg last year.  It advised doctors and pharmacists not to issue prescriptions for high dose baclofen because, it said, there was evidence of hospital admissions and suicides or attempts by users of high dose baclofen.  This … Continue reading Baclofen user takes French ANSM to court

Baclofen Now a First Line Treatment -French RTU extended – New Modalities of Treatment

In March 2014, the National Agency for the Safety of Medicines and Health Products (ANSM) developed, for a period of 3 years, a Temporary Use Recommendation (RTU) for baclofen in the management of alcohol- dependent. Pending the results of the CNAMTS-ANSM study on safety, and the final reports of the two clinical studies, Alpadir and … Continue reading Baclofen Now a First Line Treatment -French RTU extended – New Modalities of Treatment

United States law: Alcoholism as a defence in criminal cases

The subject of alcoholism as a defence to criminal charges is explained in the article:  Alcoholism as a Defense to Crime.  The general point made in the article is that the law has adopted an approach similar to the English approach of accepting alcohol intoxication as a defense to crimes of specific intent but not … Continue reading United States law: Alcoholism as a defence in criminal cases

Self-diagnosis and self-prescribing: Time for a rethink.

Alcoholism diagnosis and treatment is gripped by an all-pervading attitude, engendered by AA and 12-Step followers that one is an alcoholic by confession, not medical diagnosis.  AA advocates that before anyone can be helped with alcoholism, they must first admit that they are an alcoholic and then follow a therapy regime which revolves around counselling, … Continue reading Self-diagnosis and self-prescribing: Time for a rethink.

Judicial attitudes to alcoholism and HDB

Here is a link to my presentation at the Colloque in Paris: Judicial attitudes towards alcoholism If a treatment for alcoholism comes along which shows that it is a neurological condition which can be treated easily, then what should the judicial response be to this?  Indifference? Alcoholism a a huge problem in the legal world because … Continue reading Judicial attitudes to alcoholism and HDB