Adverse events associated with classic psychedelics and MDMA: a real-world population-based study using the WHO pharmacovigilance database (VigiBase)
Psychiatry Research December 29, 2025 Omer A. Syed, Sean M. Nestor, M.ishrat Husain et al. 1 citation
Adverse event reports for classic psychedelics and MDMA in the WHO global pharmacovigilance database VigiBase show that most reports were for MDMA (1,573) and LSD (394), with fewer for psilocybin (56), DMT (18), and mescaline (15). The most common adverse events were psychiatric, particularly substance abuse and dependence. Overdose reports made up 1.1 to 1.7% of total adverse events. Pregnancy-related and congenital disorders were rare. Compared to acetaminophen, LSD and MDMA were associated with significantly greater odds of reported alcohol abuse, substance use disorder, and substance dependence, and these odds were also greater than those for oxycodone. This exploratory analysis provides a first look at real-world safety data, though findings are limited by potential underreporting and co-use of other substances.