1. Indication

2. Wonder drugs


3. Dopamine Hits


4. Big Pharma, Big Secret


5. Restless


6. Chasing Losses


16 February 2026


When Freddie's dad Bill is diagnosed with Parkinson's, his medication offers him a brand-new lease of life. He starts ticking things off his pail list - travelling, sky diving, golf.


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


BBC Investigations reporter Noel Titheradge has spent more than a year speaking to individuals whose behaviour changed drastically after taking a category of prescription drugs called dopamine agonists.


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


But they have well recognized adverse effects - around 1 in 6 individuals who take them develop impulse control disorders, which can include hypersexuality, binge consuming, compulsive gaming and shopping.


If these side effects have been understood about for decades, why weren't some patients and their households properly cautioned or kept an eye on?