Ethical considerations for psychedelic-assisted therapy in military clinical settings
Journal of Medical Ethics May 30, 2023 Scott Hoener, Aaron Wolfgang, David A. Nissan et al. 6 citations
Psychedelic-assisted therapies, particularly with MDMA and psilocybin, show rapid, durable, and cost-effective results for conditions like PTSD and major depression in clinical trials. Researchers are now interested in applying these treatments to active-duty US military personnel with treatment-resistant mental health issues, though psychedelics remain unapproved for general use. Unique ethical concerns arise for service members, including informed consent, confidentiality, deployability, and unanticipated psychological risks. The authors argue that MDMA-assisted therapy is a promising option that warrants accelerated investigation for military use, while cautioning that military-specific uncertainties must be carefully addressed.