•ACS Pharmacology and Translational Science
Consciousness, Religion, and Gurus: Pitfalls of Psychedelic Medicine
open
Johnson, M. W.
This opinion article (2020) describes three pitfalls of psychedelic research, namely 1) consciousness as term, 2) religious beliefs of clinicians, and 3) clinical boundaries.
Abstract
This viewpoint identifies pitfalls in the study of psychedelic compounds, including those that pose challenges for the potential use of psychedelics as medicines. They are as follows: (1) Sloppiness regarding use of the term “consciousness”. (2) Inappropriate introduction of religious/spiritual beliefs of investigators or clinicians. (3) Clinical boundaries and other ethical challenges associated with psychedelic treatments.