Acid Brothers: Henry Beecher, Timothy Leary, and the psychedelic of the century.
Perspectives in biology and medicine 2016 DOI: 10.1353/pbm.2016.0019 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Historical analysis Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | LSD |
| Keywords | Human experimentation Ethical guidelines Clinical research ethics Hallucinogens Psychedelics Synthetic hallucinogen Counterculture Timothy leary Drug advocacy Social movements Cultural revolution Bioethics history Medical ethics history History of ethics Ethical principles evolution Scientific ethics development |
| Citations | 15 |
| Key points | Argues that Beecher's indirect struggle with Leary over LSD was central to his views on responsible investigation and served as a bellwether for the formalization of human experiment scrutiny. |
Abstract
Henry Knowles Beecher, an icon of human research ethics, and Timothy Francis Leary, a guru of the counterculture, are bound together in history by the synthetic hallucinogen lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD). Both were associated with Harvard University during a critical period in their careers and of drastic social change. To all appearances the first was a paragon of the establishment and a constructive if complex hero, the second a rebel and a criminal, a rogue and a scoundrel. Although there is no evidence they ever met, Beecher's indirect struggle with Leary over control of the 20th century's most celebrated psychedelic was at the very heart of his views about the legitimate, responsible investigator. That struggle also proves to be a revealing bellwether of the increasingly formalized scrutiny of human experiments that was then taking shape.
Comparable studies
Other theoretical and historical papers on LSD, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Experimental Use of Psychedelic (LSD) Psychotherapy | 1970 | Historical analysis | |
| LSD: My Problem Child | 1981 | Historical analysis | |
| On the Use and Abuse of LSD | 1968 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| The Use of Music in Psychedelic (LSD) Psychotherapy | 1972 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| Flashbacks: Recurrent Intrusive Images After the Use of LSD | 1969 | Theoretical or philosophical paper |
Citations in the library
Cited by 7
- A Transformative Trip? Experiences of Psychedelic Use Neuroethics June 20, 2024
- The psychedelic renaissance: the next trip for psychiatry? Irish Journal of Psychological Medicine September 23, 2019
- Psychedelic‐assisted therapy for functional neurological disorders: A theoretical framework and review of prior reports Pharmacology Research & Perspectives February 2, 2021
- [Ketamine Augmented Psychotherapy (KAP) in mood disorder: User guide]. L'Encephale June 1, 2022
- Ethical considerations for psychedelic-assisted therapy in military clinical settings Journal of Medical Ethics May 30, 2023
and 2 more in the library