Informed Consent in Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy.
Current topics in behavioral neurosciences – December 31, 2024
Source: PubMed
Summary
As psychedelic therapy gains medical recognition, proper informed consent becomes crucial for patient safety. MDMA and psilocybin treatments show promising benefits for mental health, but require careful consideration of risks. Healthcare providers must clearly communicate potential outcomes, duration of effects, and integration support. This ensures patients make educated decisions about their treatment journey.
Abstract
Humans have long used classical serotonergic psychedelics, such as psilocybin, for a variety of purposes. Entactogens, such as methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA), emerged during the twentieth century and have likewise seen use in a broad range of settings. Interest has arisen in the use of classical psychedelics and entactogens, together termed "psychedelics," for therapeutic purposes in Western clinical settings. Care in these settings is governed by standards for the communication and assumption of risk in the process of informed consent. Rigorous informed consent standards in psychedelic medicine are not only essential for quality care but also critical to the mitigation of risk, particularly in research settings and for vulnerable individuals. This chapter describes practical elements of informed consent in psychedelic therapy, with a focus on effective communication of the risks and potential benefits of classical psychedelic and entactogen treatments as they are currently understood.