AJOB neuroscience
January 1, 2023
Andrew Peterson, Emily A Largent, Holly Fernandez Lynch et al.
42 citations
Psychedelic drugs are not currently offered to people with Alzheimer's disease and related dementias, but interest is growing in using them to treat underlying causes and psychiatric symptoms. This paper proposes a research agenda for examining the ethics of psychedelic medicine and research involving persons with AD/ADRD. It offers preliminary analyses of six ethical issues: the impact of psychedelics on autonomy and consent; the effect of "ego dissolution" on those experiencing a pathology of self; how psychedelics might affect caregiving; the potential exploitation of patient desperation; institutional review boards' orientation to psychedelic research; and methods to reduce inequity. These issues are magnified for AD/ADRD but also relevant to other clinical populations.
JAMA network open
June 3, 2024
Amy L McGuire, I Glenn Cohen, Dominic Sisti et al.
41 citations
A consensus statement from a 2023 meeting of 27 experts identifies 20 points of consensus across five ethical issues for integrating psychedelic medicines into mainstream medical practice: reparations and reciprocity, equity, and respect; informed consent; professional boundaries and physical touch; personal experience; and gatekeeping. The meeting included clinicians, researchers, Indigenous groups, industry, philanthropy, veterans, retreat facilitators, training programs, and bioethicists. The statement focuses on government-approved medical use in the US and abroad, emphasizing that policymakers must address challenges ahead while acknowledging the hopeful moment.
Perspectives in biology and medicine
January 1, 2024
Brent M Kious, Andrew Peterson, Amy L McGuire
21 citations
Psychedelic substances hold promise for treating many conditions, but some argue that informed consent for their use may be impossible because psychedelic experiences can be transformative in the sense defined by L. A. Paul—involving knowledge that cannot be obtained otherwise or changes in the self. This article argues that there is limited evidence that psychedelic experiences are transformative in Paul's sense, and they may not differ in transformative features from other common medical experiences where informed consent is clearly possible. Even if psychedelic experiences can be transformative, informed consent remains possible. The article closes with recommendations for how informed consent processes should reflect the distinct features of psychedelic experiences.
Cambridge Quarterly of Healthcare Ethics
October 1, 2022
Andrew Peterson, D. Sisti
11 citations
The authors argue that the concept of personal identity is central to ethical debates about emerging neurotechnologies, such as deep brain stimulation and memory modification. They contend that these technologies can alter traits and memories in ways that raise concerns about continuity of self. The paper examines philosophical accounts of personal identity and applies them to clinical and research contexts, suggesting that ethical evaluation must consider how interventions affect a person's narrative identity. The authors conclude that a nuanced understanding of identity is necessary for responsible development and use of neurotechnologies.