First there was the whole Vioxx and Celebrex thing. And now there’s a new twist on an old drug: The FDA is doing a pilot study on the use of Ecstasy (methylenedioxymethamphetamine), better known for showing up in dance clubs than hospices, to help terminal patients. This from The Scotsman:

The Food and Drug Administration has approved a pilot study looking at whether the recreational hallucinogen can help terminally-ill patients lessen their fears, quell thoughts of suicide and make it easier for them to deal with loved ones…The small four-month study is expected to begin early next spring. It will test the drug s effects on 12 cancer patients from the Lahey Clinic Medical Centre in the Boston area. The research is being sponsored by the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies, a non-profit group that plans to raise 250,000 (-184,816) to fund it.

So, can we bring Timothy Leary back to teach the course on this one?

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