Prescription For Addiction

60 Minutes' Scott Pelley Reports On A New Addiction Treatment

(CBS)  The first Prometa patients were treated in 2003. Now, 70 doctors offer Prometa. And about 2,500 addicts have had the therapy. Pelley met some at a support group meeting Dave Smart had organized at his apartment.

Matt Wild lost an eye in a meth lab explosion. But he didn't stop using until Prometa. "I just don't got no cravings. I mean, it's personally, for me, it's a wonder drug. I've been addicted to it for 30 some years," Wild tells Pelley.

Wild's wife Melanie couldn’t stop either.

"You went to prison three times, you got burned in a meth fire," Pelley remarks.

"I lost my children, my children were seven, six, and two. I couldn’t even stay clean, as much as I loved my children," she says.

The state took her children. Melanie says, after she was burned in the fire, she left the hospital burn unit to go straight to her meth dealer. Now, after Prometa, she says she's been clean for five months, and Matt for two.

"You just can't help feeling good about what you're doing," Terren Peizer says.

Terren Peizer had barely sat down for our interview, when he seemed to be overcome at the first mention of patients. "You get away from the clinical and you get down to the personal. And it -- there's nothing like it. So, yeah, it's a lot of people say, well, you know, 'Why do you, why are you doing this?' Like - and say how can I not do it?" he says.

Peizer is better known as a steely eyed financier, a former bond salesman who worked for, then testified against Michael Milken, infamous in the junk bond scandal of the 1980’s. When Peizer heard about the drug therapy, he started a public company called "Hythiam." He raised $150 million from investors. The name Prometa is Greek, meaning "positive change." For patients it's not small change: the therapy can cost $15,000.

Peizer has enormous plans: Prometa centers across the nation, one day accepted by health insurance and the courts.

In Tacoma, he convinced Pierce County to be a model of the future. The county put up $400,000 to offer Prometa to addicts in drug court.

"You could talk to 100 physicians out there using it. You could talk to 2,000 patients using it. If your son had it, would you want him to do it?" Peizer asks.

"You believe most people would," Pelley says.

"Would you?" Peizer asks.

"I'd be happier if I knew it was approved by the FDA, personally," Pelley replies.

"They’re just saying this stuff works without actually subjecting it to the proper kinds of trials," says Dr. John Mendelson, who says the science doesn’t match Prometa’s promotion.

He's a professor of medicine at UC San Francisco and senior scientist at the Addiction Pharmacology Lab at the California Pacific Medical Center. He tests therapies for the National Institute on Drug Abuse.

"You don’t think there is anything special about this combination of drugs?" Pelley asks.

"So far the evidence would suggest no," Mendelson says.

Mendelson says none of the drugs used in Prometa seem to effect addiction.

"Terren Peizer says he wants to make Prometa the standard of care," Pelley tells Mendelson.

"That is his goal, he wants to make it the standard without any evidence," Mendelson replies. "And he’s spending money to recruit the treaters and to recruit the insurance payers but not to prove that the treatment works."

Proving it works would require what scientists call a "placebo controlled, double blind study." That's a human trial in which half the patients take a placebo, or sugar pill -- neither the patients nor doctors know who got the real drugs until the end. Peizer went to market without that kind of study and without asking the FDA to approve his method or marketing.

"So if you don't ask the FDA for approval …you can say anything you want?" Pelley asks.

"That's pretty much the damn truth," Mendelson says.

"I think people would be shocked by that," Pelley remarks.

"It is shocking. It is shocking. I, to be honest with you, I've never seen anyone actually try it. And this is one of those loopholes that may exist because no one has had the chutzpah to go out and actually try it. But up 'til now," Mendelson says.

[jshmks]

There goes my crack sales

[raskal_2]

No that is not what its really about, Peizer... We are about real,honest,impartial science. If you are a true scientist, you would welcome reliable testing by other scientists. This pseudo-science *** is getting more and more popular in the self-help crowd. There is even a national publication that claims that science has proven that there is a connection between thinking about money (for example) and getting money. No, science has not proven any such thing. And even Oprah supported this nonsense. I just hope I never see in the news that Prometa apearently works by killing all brain cells that have serotonin receptors and turning people into manic rabbits. Let''s be real scientists

[denn034]

Unverified is reason sufficient to not try it.

[runningralph]

I hope this stuff works. There sure are a bunch of sad sacks out there that need to get off of dope. prescription and street drugs. The only other things that I can remember that helped were methadone and paraquat.

[lloydbest1]

Maybe this stuff works; maybe it doesn''t. We will never know for sure until "science" does an impartial double blinded test on a LOT of volunteers.
While doing these trials it is also important to determine why the drug cocktail does (or does not) work.
Mr. Peizer has one thing working for him at present. The Placebo effect is one of the most powerful allies a medical doctor (or snake oil salesman) can have. No one really knows why it works as well as it does but even if the "Peizer Cure" turns out to be all horsesh*t and bunco; a small but significant number of his patients will realize a measurable improvement in their condition and, possibly, some will be cured.

[runningralph]

Lloydbest1,
Well said.

[countrybumki]

The problem is the ''government'' is pissed because something might be working that they didn''t say was ok. There are so many cures out there for all kiinds of things including many forms of cancers. Proven in other countries, but because the "FDA" has to get their greedy little fringers into the mix, many well loved people out there get the agony of major suffering while others continue to get rich off of their ''games''

[winnemuccan]

A more practical solution is to prevent drug-abuse in the first place.

[runningralph]

Winnemucan,
You posted that it would be better to prevent drug abuse. I agree. Prevention has been tried and tried for years. Obviously it has been unsuccessful. Alcoholism, drug addiction, obesity, gambling addiction all have one thing is common. They are self inflicted. So far no one has come up with a way to prevent people who have no control from destroying themselves. The best we can do is not to enable.

[hypnotoad72]

Give the compound to Pfizer. now that they''re offshoring more of their factories to "somewhere in Asia", they can be made more cheaply (but don''t expect Americans'' prices to drop anytime soon! :-D But do expect them to be tainted, like how methotrexate was...)

[carlylaine]

Just remember the DMSO controversy. It helped people who were in pain and the government cracked down on the sellers and users. All governments are horrible. Let the people remedy themselves. How many doctors prescribe wrong medications and how many people die? I''d rather die from me than from them. Let us self-medicate.

[incog-nito]

What if people become addicted to Prometa? How do you cure that?

[workedforme]

I was addicted to meth for over 20 years, and have tried every type of treatment out there several times, and nothing ever took away the cravings to use meth, nothing, until Prometa that is, that was nearly 8 months ago, and not even one craving, not one, now, I have stopped using before, but never for more than a couple weeks at one time, except when I was in prison, and the craving was always there, but not now, not since I began The Prometa Treatment almost 8 months ago.
I know there is a lot of controversy etc out there regarding Prometa, and I understand it, but the bottom line is, "It works", well, it works for me, and for many many other people, but not for everyone, I have heard of this treatment program not working for some people, and that is to be expected, nothing is going to work for everyone, and it is important to note that Hythiam''s claim is that Prometa treats Alcohol, Cocaine, and Meth., they do not claim that it works for other addictions, also, it takes an honest desire to stop using, and the willingness to do whatever it takes to get it, and most important, one must stay away from anyone who is using these drugs, if you lay with dogs, you will get fleas.
But anyway, I understand all the skepticizm, and the controversy, but to me, the question should be, "Does it work ?", and to me, and a whole lot of other people with simular stories, the answer is YES it does work, maybe we should stop trying to poke holes in it, and support it, if it really does work.

[republic1776]

FDA = Big Brother Government.
The Guy had to find a "loophole"
Our Govenment is "pay the lady" to do business.

[republic1776]

AMEN!
Well put yahright2

[zoodirt77]

i think if this guy was really concerened with endidng addiction then this drug treamant wouldnt cost 15,000.00.weather it works or not is really not the issue to them.come on 15 grand only rich peole can afford it.

[happycat8279]

It works! Something works! How many people need to say it works before we stop arguing whether it works or not. I learned once from a self-made millionaire, never worry or count anybody else''s money. I personally don''t care who gets rich from Prometa, I only care that it can help many many people who want, need and desire help. Unless you''ve been touched directly or indirectly by an addiction or addict, let it be.

[indy1123]

Why is it that when there''s a way for people to help themselves, the government feel like they should "regulate" it just so they can me a quick buck.

[at_nyc]

Well, if the (whatever) county auditor found the treatment "no better" (also implies NO WORSE) than other treatments, should it receive the same status as all the "other" treatments???

It maybe "over-advertisement" to say it works better. But for the addits who didn''t respond to "other" treatment yet respond to ProMeta, one more treatment makes the ultimate difference.

So if some people make a profit from a successful (but not extradinary) addition treatment, is that bad?

I think I''ll go out and buy some ProMeta stocks now! ;)

[darrel1-2009]

This sounds like a dream drug for those who are addicted to drugs. Yes, they have to want to fix their problems. But this sounds as though most physicians have had luck with this. Even if this particular drug is not FDA approved, can doctors simply prescribe the combination of alread-approved drugs that make up Prometa? I going to recommend the person in my life who has a drug problem but who wants help.

It would be great if greater emphasis could also be put on prevention of drug abuse. But prevention is only as good as those who are addicted listening to it.

[lucwatelet]

Scott Pelley asked a really good question from Terren Peizer, he asked about the doctor who did the first clinical trial on Prometa who is himself advertising using Prometa in his clinic: "Don''t you think it''s a conflict of interest?"

If you think about it, that''s exactly what pharmaceutical companies are asked to do! They do there on trials. The burden of the cost of the clinical trials is carried by those who want the drugs approved. It is a conflict of interest!

[rstarre]

Anyone who is addicted to Meth, can go days without eating or sleeping. My question is how can guy who says he was cured of his 20 year addiction in one treatment can be so overweight, bordering on obese. something is wrong with that senario.

[rstarre]

Anyone who is addicted to Meth, can go days without eating or sleeping. My question is how can guy who says he was cured of his 20 year addiction in one treatment can be so overweight, bordering on obese. How is that even posible? Something is wrong with that senario.

[plcousins-2009]

Why would anyone enroll in a placebo-controlled trial for this treatment? With randomization, there is only a 50% chance of getting into the treatment arm. It''s only ethical that investigators tell patients they can get the combination elsewhere outside the trial.

[rstarre]

Anyone who is addicted to Meth, can go days without eating or sleeping. My question is how can guy who says he was cured of his 20 year addiction in one treatment can be so overweight, bordering on obese. How is that even possible? Something is wrong with that senerio.

[hsb2spk]

I have family who is in medicine and understand the checks and balances that are needed for safety. Although there is a very large bureaucracy inolved with the medical industry and especially the drug end of it. Drug companies make millions and pay millions to stay in control of the items they make. I believe that if more people were willing to step outside the box (safely) there would be more things available that could help people. Some doctors are so ingrained in the system that they refuse to accept that somebody may be able to do something outside their system.

[darrel1-2009]

Rstarre, it is common for people who get off drugs to gain weight, as their metabolism slows and they start eating again.

[obermeier2]

I remember my uncle, Dr Francis Merlin Bumpus, talking about a treatment in the early 90''s about a drug rehab treatment program in Spain that removed the physical addiction but the physiological addiction required continued attention. He spoke of a college of his that had sent a son to Spain for help. You did not directly talk of this in your presentation. I feel you may have missed a very important point here.
Mike Obermeier

[crisisincare]

Wake up people!!! Politicians have NOTHING on the FDA!!Investigate HOW MANY drugs the FDA has approved that have gone through "testing" that within6-12months have killed thousands and been pulled off the market.They DO NOT want to support anything that does not cross the palms of many nor jeopardize their JOBS. That is their real bottom line. Just as the interviewed "expert" for the Drug Addiction Center. Come up with a real treatment and he is without a job or recognition. I have been in critical care for 25 years and have seen what "wonders" the FDA brings to our health care system! Little has to do with curing or treating it has to do with profit or falsified research;ie: diabetic medications, hormonal treatments, cancer treatments, robotic surgeries. I trust little the FDA supports anymore. This country was founded on people who dared to find a solution!

[crisisincare]

And remember how they all said AGENT ORANGE was a wonder drug! Ask the thousands of American families that have been affected by that propaganda even on our OWN UNITED STATES soil!

[noprometa]

The public should not be fooled about the Prometa protocol. My son was much, much worse after receiving this treatment. His alcohol and cocaine use escalated, and he said he felt like a guinea pig after receiving this treatment in 2006. Families should be very wary of investing outrageous sums of money for this treatment. If I had it to do over, I would not have had him take this treatment even if it were free. The money spent on the Prometa protocol would have been much better invested in the treatment program we finally found this year. Every family of an addict is constantly searching for the answer, and Prometa preys on that.
Desperate parent

[noprometa]

The public should not be fooled about the Prometa protocol. My son was much, much worse after receiving this treatment. His alcohol and cocaine use escalated, and he said he felt like a guinea pig after receiving this treatment in 2006. Families should be very wary of investing outrageous sums of money for this treatment. If I had it to do over, I would not have had him take this treatment even if it were free. The money spent on the Prometa protocol would have been much better invested in the treatment program we finally found this year. Every family of an addict is constantly searching for the answer, and Prometa preys on that.
Desperate parent

[teirtat]

I think anything that might help people who can''t help themselves is great. I have a daughter who has been on heroin for many years. I would love to find her something to release her from this hell. She is now doing the goverments way of helping, by giving out methedone (not sure how to spell it). I didn''t hear if the new drug will help with this kind of addiction. If so, how do I lead her to it?

[mtzboyandy]

i am a meth addict and i would try anything if it worked and would recomed it too!

[noprometa]

The public should not be fooled about the Prometa protocol. My son was much, much worse after receiving this treatment. His alcohol and cocaine use escalated, and he said he felt like a guinea pig after receiving this treatment in 2006. Families should be very wary of investing outrageous sums of money for this treatment. If I had it to do over, I would not have had him take this treatment even if it were free. The money spent on the Prometa protocol would have been much better invested in the treatment program we finally found this year. Every family of an addict is constantly searching for the answer, and Prometa preys on that.
Desperate parent

[teirtat]

I feel so bad for the noprometa Mom. However, are you sure he just wasn''t ready to stop? Sometimes they will tell you anything just to get one more high.

[noprometa]

The public should not be fooled about the Prometa protocol. My son was much, much worse after receiving this treatment. His alcohol and cocaine use escalated, and he said he felt like a guinea pig after receiving this treatment in 2006. Families should be very wary of investing outrageous sums of money for this treatment. If I had it to do over, I would not have had him take this treatment even if it were free. The money spent on the Prometa protocol would have been much better invested in the treatment program we finally found this year. Every family of an addict is constantly searching for the answer, and Prometa preys on that.
Desperate parent

[noprometa]

The public should not be fooled about the Prometa protocol. My son was much, much worse after receiving this treatment. His alcohol and cocaine use escalated, and he said he felt like a guinea pig after receiving this treatment in 2006. Families should be very wary of investing outrageous sums of money for this treatment. If I had it to do over, I would not have had him take this treatment even if it were free. The money spent on the Prometa protocol would have been much better invested in the treatment program we finally found this year. Every family of an addict is constantly searching for the answer, and Prometa preys on that.
Desperate parent

[noprometa]

The public should not be fooled about the Prometa protocol. My son was much, much worse after receiving this treatment. His alcohol and cocaine use escalated, and he said he felt like a guinea pig after receiving this treatment in 2006. Families should be very wary of investing outrageous sums of money for this treatment. If I had it to do over, I would not have had him take this treatment even if it were free. The money spent on the Prometa protocol would have been much better invested in the treatment program we finally found this year. Every family of an addict is constantly searching for the answer, and Prometa preys on that.
Desperate parent

[noprometa]

The public should not be fooled about the Prometa protocol. My son was much, much worse after receiving this treatment. His alcohol and cocaine use escalated, and he said he felt like a guinea pig after receiving this treatment in 2006. Families should be very wary of investing outrageous sums of money for this treatment. If I had it to do over, I would not have had him take this treatment even if it were free. The money spent on the Prometa protocol would have been much better invested in the treatment program we finally found this year. Every family of an addict is constantly searching for the answer, and Prometa preys on that.
Desperate parent

[speedemon271]

Ok i hear a lot about mericale drugs and how they can solve everyone''s problem that they have. our society is to focused on a quick fix with out any work.our american society needs to wake up and stop turning to drugs to slove every thing, why don''t we just have people that have additction or other mental problems that are solved by percription drugs and send them to talk to people. b/c really why people turn to drugs it''s b/c thier sad or upset or angry maybe if we made therapeist readly avaible and cheap we could loosen the conrol that the drug companies have on our great united states

[joann5876]

A "cure" to alcohol. I don''t believe it! This drug treatment is the cure all. No. Alcoholism is a "disease". I, myself entered a treatment program (detox) for my alcohol abuse in June of 2006. I drank heavly for 15 years (30 pack plus) of beer per day. I do not believe that a dose of Prometa will kill the mind of thoughts of wanting another drink. While in treatment the staff that work with addictions have said many times, to have the program work is to change peolpe, places and things. I think the one most important change is the thought process. After "detox", the addict must change the thought process,not thinking of using.And if the thought does come to mind do something to get it off your mind like take a wake or call you counsler. I do not think that this drug will "change the thought process" My final comment on this is, The addict wants to change.If you want something bad enough you will be a surviver. And the most important is work a program, either A.A. or N.A. I have been sober now for one year and six months, and I am *** proud of what I have accomplished !!! Thank you for letting me add this comment. "Jo"

[joann5876]

I have been sober for one and a half years now .. I do not believe that a drug can change the " thought process" of addiction !!!!


"Jo"

[noprometa]

The public should not be fooled about the Prometa protocol. My son was much, much worse after receiving this treatment. His alcohol and cocaine use escalated, and he said he felt like a guinea pig after receiving this treatment in 2006. Families should be very wary of investing outrageous sums of money for this treatment. If I had it to do over, I would not have had him take this treatment even if it were free. The money spent on the Prometa protocol would have been much better invested in the treatment program we finally found this year. Every family of an addict is constantly searching for the answer, and Prometa preys on that.
Desperate parent

[noprometa]

The public should not be fooled about the Prometa protocol. My son was much, much worse after receiving this treatment. His alcohol and cocaine use escalated, and he said he felt like a guinea pig after receiving this treatment in 2006. Families should be very wary of investing outrageous sums of money for this treatment. If I had it to do over, I would not have had him take this treatment even if it were free. The money spent on the Prometa protocol would have been much better invested in the treatment program we finally found this year. Every family of an addict is constantly searching for the answer, and Prometa preys on that.
Desperate parent

[billyjack41]

This piece mentioned that Prometa is being used in Pierce County, Washington. I don''t know if it is being used through private doctors, but the Pierce County officials have stopped using it through their county programs.

[workedforme]

rstarre, I am the fat guy from the Prometa story..... Fat and Happy, yes I have gained nearly 70 pounds in the last 8 months since I got off dope, but I would rather be fat and happy than sucked up, unhappy, and living in my truck near death, I am currently involved in a diet plan, and loosing weight, but if I die tomorrow, at least I beat the dope, and it did not beat me, trust me, I look a lot better now than I did then.

[akinney64]

I think it''s interesting that this report didn''t include any commentary about how this treatment might cure tobacco addiction. Could it have anything to do with who one of their sponsors is? Check CBS sponsors for yourself: just google it. You''ll see the whole list.

[r65dv]

thank you for bringing Prometa to the public. I have spent the last 25 years addicted to methamphetamines.I have spent numourous years in prison and on the streets. Nothing, and I say nothing has even got close to keeping me off drugs,speed, UNTIL NOW! Thirteen months ago I was given the Prometa treatment,THIRTEEN! Immediatly after recieving it, I LOST THE CRAVINGS FOR METH! It has been thirteen productive months of having life returned to me. I WILL NEVER BE ABLE TO REPAY THE FINE PEOPLE AT PROMETA FOR THE GIFT THEY HAVE GIVEN ME! thank you, Robert devries,newhall,california

[workedforme]

Dear zoodirt77, and anyone else looking for Prometa treatment at no cost to you, There is a non-profit website out there that paid for it for me, its... www.enddependence.org, download the application, print it and send it in, it worked for me.
P.S. Donations are also accepted at this site