The article is about Provigil (generically known as Modafinil). It is a prescription drug in the US, but available over the counter in other countries.
For anyone curious about his drug, I’m qualified to comment. In fact, I took modafinil this morning. I have narcolepsy, and have taken a number of different drugs (all legally), including Ritalin and methamphetamine. My own experience is that it does help me stay awake (although nothing will keep me awake in meetings, not even modafinil), and it does enhance overall alertness.
All of these drugs have a tolerance effect for me, so that they become less effective. Modafinil supposedly does not have a tolerance effect, but it does for me, so I stay off of it as much as possible, so that it will be more effective when I actually need it the most.
There are side effects for me: dry mouth, irritability when the medicine wears off, and fragmented, restless sleep the night after I’ve taken the drug. Also, I find that it has a muting effect on emotions. As an example, I’m much less inclined to want to laugh (or even have the sensation of humor) during a funny movie.