History, Hype, and Responsible Psychedelic Medicine: A Qualitative Study of Psychedelic Researchers.
Michaela Barber, John Gardner, Adrian Carter
J Bioeth Inq October 4, 2024 DOI: 10.1007/s11673-024-10386-4 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Qualitative study Case report Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 14 |
| Population | Australian psychedelic researchers |
| Topics | Psychedelic-assisted therapy |
| Keywords | Psychedelic medicine Psychedelic treatments Psychedelic drugs Psychedelic science Ethical development Responsible development Medical ethics Safety standards Regulatory ethics Ethical research Psychedelic ethics Medical integration Future of medicine Patient care Therapeutic integration Psychedelic healthcare integration |
| Citations | 12 |
| Key findings | Psychedelic researchers' views reveal tensions as the field grows from a small group with a shared worldview to a regulated industry, with overarching concerns for protecting the field from premature discontinuation and maximizing positive impacts. |
Abstract
Background: Psychedelic medicine is a rapidly growing area of research and policy change. Australia recently became the first country to legalize the prescription of psychedelics and serves as a case study of issues that may emerge in other jurisdictions. Despite their influence as a stakeholder group, there has been little empirical exploration of psychedelic researchers' views on the development of psychedelic research and the ethical concerns.
Methods: We thematically analysed fourteen interviews with Australian psychedelic researchers.
Results: Three themes were constructed from the data: 1) coming out of the shadow of the 1960s, 2) challenges and affordances in engaging stakeholders, and 3) growing pains in innovation and translation.
Conclusion: The results illustrated tensions arising from the rapid growth of psychedelic research from a small group of dedicated individuals with a similar worldview, to a multi-interest, regulated industry. Participants' experiences and viewpoints were influenced by the history of psychedelic research, and this was met with an overarching concern for protecting the field from premature discontinuation, as well as maximizing potential positive impacts. Targets for stakeholder collaboration and initiatives to support responsible innovation in psychedelics include equitable access, sustainable industry involvement, productive research agendas, responsible reporting of evidence, and risk-taking within the relative safety of clinical trials.