Schoolchildren could be given 'smart drugs' in a bid to boost brainpower

By Laura Clark
The Daily Mail
Sep. 21, 2008

Schools will soon have to ensure all pupils have access to brain-enhancing 'smart drugs', according to officially funded experts.

They said teachers risk claims of bias against poorer children if they fail to give all pupils the same chance to take a new generation of pills which boost attention, concentration and memory.

Researchers predict that within a generation, cognition enhancing drugs - or 'cogs' - will be so advanced that parents and teachers will be able to 'manipulate biology' to enhance pupils' brainpower.

But schools will have to address 'ethical issues about haves and have-nots', said the scientists led by Bristol University.

'If "cogs" are only available to those who can afford them, what does this mean for equality?' their report asked.

'It may be unethical to deny the chance for pupils to take advantage of such enhancements.

'Educators will at least need to know about what smart drugs are being taken by their pupils.

'They may need to have a hand in deciding whether some pupils need to take such drugs.'

Schools may also need to hold drug tests to monitor and regulate the use of performance-enhancers, according to the researchers.

They were commissioned by Futurelab, a think-tank and charity funded by the Government to help shape the future of education.

The study depicts a brave new world, where pupils' DNA profiles would be stored on memory sticks.

Brain scanners would give staff real-time read-outs of pupils' thinking, allowing them to tailor lessons more effectively.

It also predicted that within 25 years, so-called 'smart drugs' will be specific enough for pupils to choose drugs for particular mental faculties.

These could include improving memory, attention, mood or motivation.

Doctors are already reporting that healthy students are taking Ritalin, the controversial hyperactivity medication, as it is thought to boost concentration. Modafinil, a stimulant known as the 'stay awake' pill, is also being taken to boost exam performance.

There is a booming Internet black market in the drugs, with reports of parents encouraging children taking exams to use them.

Some students at Oxford University are believed to be trading them in college libraries.

Meanwhile, procedures designed to treat degenerative diseases are also being developed to assist with learning and concentration.

Dubbed 'Botox for the brain', they involve magnetic pulses stimulating particular brain regions.

Yesterday's report, part of a Ł1.5million project on the future of schooling, warns that the sideeffects of long-term use of smart drugs are unknown.

The Academy of Medical Sciences has previously warned that smart drugs need to be regulated.