Global InformationGabasync information
Gabasync is an ineffective treatment promoted for methamphetamine addiction, although it had also been claimed to be effective for dependence on alcohol or cocaine.[1] It was marketed as PROMETA. The treatment, based loosely on research of a Spanish psychologist, involved a combination of three medications (gabapentin, flumazenil and hydroxyzine) as well as therapy. While the individual drugs had been approved by the FDA, their off-label use for addiction treatment has not.[2] Gabasync was marketed by Hythiam, Inc. which is owned by Terren Peizer, a former junk bond salesman who has since been indicted for securities fraud relative to another company.[3][4] Hythiam has sought to patent the protocol and charges up to $15,000 per patient to license its use (of which half goes to the prescribing physician, and half to Hythiam).[5] Lower rates are offered to the criminal justice system, where it has been used in drug court pilot programs.[6]
In November 2011, the results of a double-blind, placebo-controlled study (financed by Hythiam and carried out at UCLA) were published in the peer-reviewed journal Addiction. It concluded that Gabasync is ineffective: "The PROMETA protocol, consisting of flumazenil, gabapentin and hydroxyzine, appears to be no more effective than placebo in reducing methamphetamine use, retaining patients in treatment or reducing methamphetamine craving."[7]
- ^ "Prescription For Addiction". 60 Minutes. CBS News. December 9, 2007. Retrieved 2008-08-22.
- ^ Prometa Founder's Spotty Background Explored, November 3, 2006, http://www.drugfree.org/join-together/prometa-founders-spotty-background-explored/ Archived 2015-09-23 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "UNITED STATES V. TERREN S. PEIZER". www.justice.gov. March 1, 2023.
- ^ Prescription For Addiction, 60 Minutes' Scott Pelley Reports On A New Addiction Treatment, Dec. 7, 2007, http://www.cbsnews.com/news/prescription-for-addiction/
- ^ "Prometa under fire in Washington drug court program". Alcoholism & Drug Abuse Weekly. 20 (3). January 21, 2008. doi:10.1002/adaw.20121.
- ^ Roan, Shari (October 9, 2006). "Addiction treatment, novel but unproved; Prometa's promoters point to anecdotal success. But critics want to see hard numbers". Los Angeles Times. p. F1.
- ^ Ling, W.; Shoptaw, S.; Hillhouse, M.; Bholat, M. A. (November 2011). "Double-blind placebo-controlled evaluation of the PROMETA™ protocol for methamphetamine dependence". Addiction. 107 (2): 361–369. doi:10.1111/j.1360-0443.2011.03619.x. PMC 4122522. PMID 22082089.