Supportive Touch in Psychedelic Assisted Therapy.
Logan Neitzke-Spruill, Caroline Beit, Lynnette A. Averill, Amy L. Mcguire
The American journal of bioethics : AJOB 2025 DOI: 10.1080/15265161.2024.2433428 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | Psychedelic-assisted therapy |
| Keywords | Psychiatry/psychology Professional ethics Research ethics Therapeutic touch Professional boundaries Medical ethics Altered states |
| Citations | 19 |
| Key points | Argues that supportive touch in psychedelic-assisted therapy warrants a precautionary harm-reduction approach rather than being completely rejected. |
Abstract
In August 2024, The U.S. Food and Drug Administration rejected Lykos Therapeutics, Inc.'s new drug application for midomafetamine with psychological intervention (MDMA-AT) to treat post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Among the many issues raised during review was concern about a highly publicized case of alleged sexual misconduct by an unlicensed therapist during a Phase 2 study of MDMA and the potential risk of future abuse. This incident of misconduct, along with several other publicized cases of misconduct by guides, facilitators, and shaman offering psychedelic retreats, has raised the question of whether physical contact is ever appropriate during psychedelic-assisted therapy (PAT). Drawing on research about supportive touch in other clinical contexts and taking into consideration features of psychedelics that exacerbate the potential for harm associated with supportive touch, we advocate for a precautionary approach to harm-reduction while arguing that supportive touch ought not be thrown out whole-cloth.