People who drink coffee only for its caffeine content will soon have a new alternative: a novel narcolepsy drug called provigil which can keep non-narcoleptics awake as well. Narcolepsy is a disorder that strikes about one in every 5000 people, causing sudden sleep attacks lasting from few seconds to more than an hour. Stimulants such as amphetamines are usually given but these can cause addiction problems. But Provigil is non-addictive and has fewer side effects and it could prove to be a boon to students and shift workers who simply wish to fight sleep. Provigil is already being used by the military in Canada ( Science ,Vol 279, No 5351).
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