1. Indication

2. Wonder drugs


3. Dopamine Hits


4. Big Pharma, Big Secret


5. Restless


6. Chasing Losses


16 February 2026


When Freddie's papa Bill is detected with Parkinson's, his medication provides him a brand-new lease of life. He starts ticking things off his senior citizen container list - taking a trip, sky diving, golf.


But then Freddie notifications that his formerly sensible father has actually started acting uncommonly.


BBC Investigations correspondent Noel Titheradge has actually invested more than a year speaking with individuals whose behaviour altered significantly after taking a category of prescription drugs called dopamine agonists.


These drugs increase dopamine activity in the brain - they were recommended more than 1.5 million times in the UK in 2015 to treat Parkinson's disease and other motion conditions.


But they have well established adverse effects - around 1 in 6 people who take them control disorders, which can include hypersexuality, binge consuming, compulsive betting and shopping.


If these negative effects have been understood about for years, why weren't some clients and their families appropriately warned or monitored?