Skip to content

Consciousness, Religion, and Gurus: Pitfalls of Psychedelic Medicine.

Matthew W. Johnson

ACS Pharmacology & Translational Science April 9, 2021 DOI: 10.1021/acsptsci.0c00198 (opens in new tab)

Study at a glance

AI-extracted from the abstract
Characteristics Viewpoint Peer reviewed
Citations 109
Key points The article identifies three pitfalls in psychedelic research: sloppy use of 'consciousness,' inappropriate introduction of religious/spiritual beliefs, and ethical challenges with clinical boundaries.

Abstract

This viewpoint identifies pitfalls in the study of psychedelic compounds, including those that pose challenges for the potential use of psychedelics as medicines. They are as follows: (1) Sloppiness regarding use of the term "consciousness". (2) Inappropriate introduction of religious/spiritual beliefs of investigators or clinicians. (3) Clinical boundaries and other ethical challenges associated with psychedelic treatments.