Newer drugs like Valium, Halcion and the bestseller Ambien are all just improvements on this ancient mechanism.
FORBES: Can A Safer Ambien Make Billions? Merck Aims To Find Out
2.
The last big shift in the sleeping-pill market came 12 years ago, when Ambien hit pharmacy shelves in the U.S. The drug is viewed as having fewer side effects than older sleep aids such as Halcion, which left patients feeling groggy in the morning.