Ethnoracial health disparities and the ethnopsychopharmacology of psychedelic-assisted psychotherapies.
Experimental and Clinical Psychopharmacology June 7, 2021 Colleen Fogg, Timothy I. Michaels, Sara de la Salle et al. 53 citations
Psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy (PAP) shows promise for treating substance use disorders, PTSD, depression, and anxiety in randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trials, but research has almost exclusively involved White populations in North America and Western Europe, neglecting Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC). Ethnoracial differences in the metabolism, safety, and efficacy of psychotropic drugs are known from previous research, yet no studies have directly examined such differences for psychedelic pharmacology. This article argues that failing to include BIPOC in trials limits generalizability and overlooks biological and social factors affecting responses to PAP. It discusses limitations of ethnopsychopharmacology and advocates for expanded funding to address cultural, clinical, and public health needs.