Adverse Events in Studies of Classic Psychedelics
JAMA Psychiatry September 4, 2024 Marianna Graziosi, Jared T. Hinkle, Sandeep M. Nayak et al. 126 citations
Classic psychedelics such as LSD and psilocybin are generally well tolerated in clinical or research settings, though serious adverse events do occur. In a systematic review and meta-analysis of 214 studies, serious adverse events were reported for no healthy participants and for about 4% of participants with preexisting neuropsychiatric disorders, including worsening depression, suicidal behavior, psychosis, and convulsive episodes. Nonserious adverse events requiring medical intervention, such as paranoia and headache, were rare. In contemporary research, no deaths by suicide, persistent psychotic disorders, or hallucinogen persisting perception disorders were reported after high-dose psychedelic administration. However, the quality of adverse event monitoring and reporting varied significantly across studies.