I came across the following press release when I accidentally searched for "The Sinclair Method" in Google News. I thought this was interesting enough to share. I apologize if it has already been posted. Does anyone know what efforts have been made to commercialize TSM since the filing of the original patent (1988), or does anyone know who owns the patent currently? Hopefully Sinclair made a good deal of money off of this deal, but I am wondering if his alcoholism patent was sold off in a similar fashion... possibly to a company that wanted it buried.

http://www.news-medical.net/news/20090902/Patents-for-treatment-for-obesity-acquired-by-Madrona-Ventures-to-start-clinical-trials-soon.aspx

Patent application for eating disorders:
http://appft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO2&Sect2=HITOFF&p=1&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsearch-bool.html&r=0&f=S&l=50&TERM1=sinclair%2C+john&FIELD1=&co1=AND&TERM2=naltrexone&FIELD2=&d=PG01


Other issued patents for Sinclair/naltrexone.
http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO2&Sect2=HITOFF&p=1&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsearch-bool.html&r=0&f=S&l=50&TERM1=sinclair%2C+john&FIELD1=&co1=AND&TERM2=naltrexone&FIELD2=&d=PTXT

The Sinclair Method seems to be effective for any behaviors that are regulated by reward via the opioidergic (endorphin) system. Yes, there are many things it can't do. It won't help with nicotine or marijuana addictions for starters, because they affect different systems/receptors in the brain.

Dr. David Sinclair is a white tower scientist and never considered trying to make money off of his patent. He patented it in an attempt to make it more popular, but his plan backfired. The patent was never sold, it expired in 2007 or 2008 I believe, which is part of the reason they held off publishing the book until October 2008.

There are many reasons why the treatment isn't popular. It's hard to believe. The people who are most likely to find out about it (addiction specialists and traditional rehab companies) would be negatively affected by it. Nobody owns the patent on the drug, so there isn't much money in it for anybody if it is popularized. Organizations like AA think it is absolute heresy.

We're very frustrated here and trying to do our part in spreading the word, but nobody wants to hear it. -E

edit: Oh! And welcome to TSM.com!

Evan is correct. Since there is no money to be made off of TSM, no one is selling this miracle cure for alcoholism. Moreover, the big money-making addiction specialists/rehab clinics stand to go out of business once it catches on. And it will catch on because it is remarkably successful -- over 80% who try it lose interest in alcohol. But it's going to take a lot of time and effort for it to catch on. Those cured by it are the most likely candidates to spread the word but our motive is altruistic, not financial.

There's also a practical aspect. Dr. Eskapa mentions self-mutilation in the book. Can you imagine someone being instructed always to be sure to take nal one hour prior to cutting?