Psychedelic Ethics Project (PEP)

Exploring informed consent, patient experience, harm reduction, integration, and ethics in emerging psychedelic and ketamine-based treatments.

Psychedelic and dissociative therapies including—ketamine, esketamine such as Spravato, and other emerging psychedelic-assisted therapies—have shown significant promise in addressing treatment-resistant depression, anxiety, PTSD, trauma, addiction, chronic pain and other debilitating health conditions. For some patients, these treatments can be deeply meaningful, transformative, and even life-changing.

At the same time, many individuals report experiences during treatment/sessions that feel far more immersive, psychologically intense, or psychedelic in nature than they expected beforehand. Some describe vivid imagery, altered states of consciousness, emotional breakthroughs, ego dissolution, fear, overwhelm, disorientation, or experiences that felt difficult to fully process without better preparation or support.

Every patient deserves not only the opportunity to heal, but also the opportunity to understand, prepare for, and meaningfully integrate the full range of experiences that psychedelic and dissociative therapies may evoke.

The Psychedelic Ethics Project was created to explore an important and evolving question:

How can psychedelic and dissociative therapies be delivered in a ways that promote patient autonomy, informed decision-making, preparation, safety, harm reduction, ethical clinical practice, and meaningful integration?

This project is focused on:

• informed consent;

• patient education and preparation;

• harm reduction;

• integration and post-treatment support;

• ethical clinical practice;

• patient-reported experiences;

• research and public policy;

• emerging standards of care; and

• patient autonomy.

Importantly, the Psychedelic Ethics Project project is not anti-ketamine, anti-Spravato, or anti-psychedelic medicine. On the contrary, we recognize that these medicines and treatments can offer extraordinary healing potential and have positively impacted many lives, including the experiences of people involved in this project.

Rather, the goal is to encourage thoughtful discussion about the relationship between how psychedelic therapies are described during the informed consent process and the diverse ways patients may experience them in clinical practice.

The Psychedelic Ethics Project believes meaningful progress requires intentional collaboration among patients/clients, clinicians, researchers, ethicists, policymakers, attorneys, regulators, and healthcare organizations.

If you would like to share an experience, perspective, or inquiry related to ketamine, esketamine, informed consent, patient preparation, intense psychedelic experiences—good or bad—, harm reduction, integration, or psychedelic ethics, please visit the Contact page.

Disclaimer

The Psychedelic Ethics Project is an educational initiative. The information provided on this website is intended solely for educational and informational purposes and should not be interpreted as medical, psychological, legal, or other professional advice.

The Psychedelic Ethics Project does not advocate for or against any particular medication, treatment, healthcare provider, manufacturer, or regulatory approach. Our goal is to encourage thoughtful discussion and evidence-informed dialogue regarding patient safety, ethics, informed consent, and responsible implementation.

Submission of information through this website or contacting the Project does not create an attorney-client relationship, therapist-client relationship, physician-patient relationship, or any other professional relationship unless expressly agreed to in signed writing.

Individual experiences submitted to the Project may be reviewed for educational, research, policy, or advocacy purposes, subject to the website's Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.

The Psychedelic Ethics Project is an independent educational initiative sponsored by Reichard Tornes, PLLC.