Taking Psychedelics Seriously
Journal of Palliative Medicine January 22, 2018 DOI: 10.1089/jpm.2017.0684 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | Anxiety Psilocybin |
| Keywords | Terminally ill Palliative care Depression economics Compassionate use Psychotherapist Hallucinogen Nursing Clinical trial |
| Citations | 164 |
| Key points | Argues that political, regulatory, and industry challenges impede the legitimate use of psychedelics, and that it is time to revisit their therapeutic use given precedents for access to unapproved medications and acceptance of physician-hastened death. |
Abstract
Even with an expanding evidence base confirming safety and benefits, political, regulatory, and industry issues impose challenges to the legitimate use of psychedelics. The federal expanded access program and right-to-try laws in multiple states provide precendents for giving terminally ill patients access to medications that have not yet earned FDA approval. Given the prevalence of persistent suffering and growing acceptance of physician-hastened death as a medical response, it is time to revisit the legitimate therapeutic use of psychedelics.