Is propranolol really being used in that way?
Well, it has been tested in emergency rooms. In 2002, there was a study of the effect of propranolol on car accident victims in emergency rooms. It found that one month later, patients who received propranolol had fewer symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder than patients who suffered similar injuries but were given placebos rather than the drug. That does sound helpful. Yes, that application may well be, so long as people are given the choice. But we are concerned about the idea of emergency room personnel automatically giving it to trauma victims. For instance, a victim of violent crime may not necessarily want to remember what happened, but may want to testify. Emergency room doctors might think it would be great to have a drug to give victims that would blank out horrible memories; but they might also overlook the complexities of why somebody would want to retain the integrity of their memory. It has to be the person’s choice. Is there anything else coming up? In the next five
