Drugs that erase memories? Now there's a medicinal solution to all problems

I saw this article on Drudge this morning: Drugs That Could Eliminate Traumatic Events From Our Memories! Recalling that this was the centerpiece of a Boston Legal episode a few weeks ago, I figured what the heck and I would read it.

The ABC article reports that this magic pill can effectively block out traumatic memories, which it purports would be good for those with post-traumatic stress disorder. Assuming that the drug does everything it says it does, then it may be a good medicinal therapy to a problem that involves both drugs and professional therapy to cope with. The Boston Legal episode basically took this idea out a few steps and applied it to a teenager who had been raped or assaulted and whose father wanted to use the drug to help her purge the memory. Setting aside all the legal foul-ups that accompanied this episode, their point was somewhat valid, which is why I am taking five minutes to chime in on it.

While I agree that this type of erasing has some potential (and perhaps great potential), I think it also has a severe potential for abuse. And further, as that Boston Legal episode teaches (or as evidenced by movies such as Total Recall, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind and Blade Runner or books like Animal Farm), the experiences that created these memories (traumatic or otherwise) help shape us into who we are. Now there are plenty of memories I (like many others I'm sure) wouldn't mind forgetting about. And in time, maybe they become unimportant enough to do so. But sometimes bad things happen and what we learn from it helps to prevent the situation from happening again. Some mind eraser pill takes that ability away.

Obviously the treating physician would be in the best position to make this determination, and it would have to be a case-by-case decision. I would hope that anyone considering this miracle drug would have obtained this professional perspective in order to make an informed decision. And as pointed out in Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, you would also have to make sure that everybody whose memory is not erased knows not to talk to you about the event with you in order to (as the article puts it) keep the "genie in the bottle." Just things to consider.