Blossom Pulse Archive

What happened in psychedelic research in 1965

1 event from 1965, dated by when they happened rather than when we logged them. Papers as they published, trials starting and finishing, programme milestones, and the news coverage around them, grouped by week.

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Week of 28 December 1964

  • Uncontrolled open pilot clinical series of LSD- and DPT-assisted psychotherapy for terminal cancer patients conducted at Spring Grove State Hospital and the Maryland Psychiatric Research Center, Baltimore MD (~1965–1972; key investigators: Walter Pahnke, Stanislav Grof, William Richards, Albert Kurland). Total n~60 terminal cancer patients by July 1972 (P1 reports n=31 in earlier series; P2/P5 overlap with later cohort). Participants: referred for significant pain, depression, tension, anxiety or psychological isolation; estimated life expectancy ≥3 months. Sessions: single supervised psychedelic session (LSD 200–500 mcg IM, modal 300 mcg; or DPT 60–105 mg parenterally for shorter effect), with male-female therapist dyad, eyeshades, headphones, classical music, family involvement at termination. Preparatory psychotherapy ~6–12 h; integration psychotherapy beginning day after session. Outcome: Pahnke-Richards 7-domain observer rating (depression, isolation, fear of death, pain, etc. −6 to +6) by therapists, nurses, physicians, family; narcotic scale for analgesic use. Repeated sessions permitted if peak experience not achieved or symptoms recurred. No control arm; no registration (pre-registration era). Multiple publications report overlapping cohorts: Pahnke WN (1972, book chapter); Grof S et al. (Int Pharmacopsychiatry 1973, PMID 4140164); Kurland AA (J Psychoactive Drugs 1985, PMID 2418186).

    LSD

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Showing 1 of 1 in 1965