Giving consent to the ineffable
Neuroethics February 15, 2024 DOI: 10.1007/s12152-024-09545-6 (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 | Psychedelics Psychedelic medicine Entheogenic therapy Informed consent Patient consent Medical consent Therapeutic consent Patient autonomy Self-determination Medical ethics Bioethics Healthcare ethics Ethical considerations Ethics in medicine Clinical ethics Personal growth Personal transformation Self-improvement Personal development Therapeutic change Healing |
| Citations | 26 |
| Key points | Argues that patients often have sufficient knowledge to give informed consent to psychedelic-assisted therapy because they know they want to change their negative status quo and that the therapy offers an effective way to do so. |
Abstract
A psychedelic renaissance is currently taking place in mental healthcare. The number of psychedelic-assisted therapy trials is growing steadily, and some countries already grant psychiatrists special permission to use psychedelics in non-research contexts under certain conditions. These clinical advances must be accompanied by ethical inquiry. One pressing ethical question involves whether patients can even give informed consent to psychedelic-assisted therapy: the treatment’s transformative nature seems to block its assessment, suggesting that patients are unable to understand what undergoing psychedelic-assisted therapy actually means for them and whether it aligns with their values. The present paper argues that patients often have sufficient knowledge to give informed consent because they know that they want to change their negative status quo and that psychedelic-assisted therapy offers an effective way to do so. Accordingly, patients can understand what the transformative nature of psychedelic-assisted therapy means for them and a make a value-aligned choice even if they are unable to anticipate the manifestation of a psychedelic experience
Comparable studies
Other theoretical and historical papers on psychedelic-assisted therapy, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Theorizing that Psychedelic Assisted Therapy May Play a Role in the Treatment of Trauma-Induced Personality Disorders. | 2024 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| Learning to Let Go: A Cognitive-Behavioral Model of How Psychedelic Therapy Promotes Acceptance | 2020 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| Awe: a putative mechanism underlying the effects of classic psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy | 2018 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| Ethical and legal issues in psychedelic harm reduction and integration therapy | 2021 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| Towards psychedelic apprenticeship: Developing a gentle touch for the mediation and validation of psychedelic-induced insights and revelations. | 2022 | Theoretical or philosophical paper |
Citations in the library
Cited by 22
- Distinctive But Not Exceptional: The Risks of Psychedelic Ethical Exceptionalism. The American Journal of Bioethics 2025
- Personal psychedelic experience of psychedelic therapists during training: should it be required, optional, or prohibited? International Review of Psychiatry June 12, 2024
- How to make psychedelic-assisted therapy safer Cambridge Quarterly of Healthcare Ethics September 27, 2024
- Ethical issues with psychedelic-assisted treatments in psychiatry: A systematic scoping review Psychological Medicine 2025
- Ethical Aspects of Psychedelic-Assisted Treatments: An Overview. Current Topics in Behavioral Neurosciences November 8, 2024
and 17 more in the library
Cites 68
- Psilocybin produces substantial and sustained decreases in depression and anxiety in patients with life-threatening cancer: A randomized double-blind trial Journal of Psychopharmacology November 30, 2016
- Rapid and sustained symptom reduction following psilocybin treatment for anxiety and depression in patients with life-threatening cancer: a randomized controlled trial Journal of Psychopharmacology November 30, 2016
- Psilocybin can occasion mystical-type experiences having substantial and sustained personal meaning and spiritual significance Psychopharmacology July 7, 2006
- Psilocybin with psychological support for treatment-resistant depression: an open-label feasibility study. The Lancet Psychiatry May 17, 2016
- Trial of Psilocybin versus Escitalopram for Depression New England Journal of Medicine April 14, 2021
and 63 more in the library