The medical sociological and social epidemiological psychedelics paradigm (MSSEPP)
Drug Science Policy and Law November 1, 2025 DOI: 10.1177/20503245251401023 via Semantic Scholar
Summary
AI-generated from the abstractA new theoretical framework, the medical sociological and social epidemiological psychedelics paradigm (MSSEPP), is proposed to address ethical concerns, lack of participant diversity, and limitations of the dominant biopsychic model in psychedelic research. MSSEPP integrates medical sociology and social epidemiology to emphasize how social, cultural, structural, and economic conditions together shape health outcomes from psychedelic use. It accounts for indirect and interacting effects across the life-course, often neglected in existing models. The article outlines an agenda to incorporate structural determinants, intersectional stigma, and community-based frameworks into psychedelic science, aiming for a more holistic and ethically grounded orientation for research, clinical design, and policy.
Study at a glance
| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Keywords | Sociology Medicine |
| Key finding | The MSSEPP framework provides a more holistic and ethically grounded orientation for psychedelic research by integrating social, cultural, structural, and economic conditions, as well as multidirectional processes across the life-course. |
Abstract
Although psychedelics have shown therapeutic potential in treating conditions such as depression, PTSD, and addiction, concerns remain regarding ethical practices, participant diversity, and the structural limitations of prevailing theoretical frameworks. This theoretical framework critically examines the dominant biopsychic model that underpins much of contemporary psychedelic research and introduces the medical sociological and social epidemiological psychedelics paradigm (MSSEPP) as a conceptual advancement. Rooted in medical sociology and social epidemiology and building on classic critiques of medicalization and biopolitics, MSSEPP emphasizes and appreciates the interconnected and simultaneous operation of social, cultural, structural, and economic conditions in shaping the relationship between psychosocial resources and health outcomes related to psychedelic use. By incorporating multidirectional processes—including indirect (mediating) and interacting (moderating) effects—MSSEPP accounts for complexities across the life-course that are often neglected in existing models. This article outlines a forward-looking agenda to integrate structural determinants, intersectional stigma, and community-based frameworks into psychedelic science. In doing so, MSSEPP provides a more holistic and ethically grounded orientation to guide future research, clinical design, and policy development.