Description 

If selected, this session should be included on the Scattergood-St. Elizabeths Ethics Track. After a decades-long pause, psychedelics are being tested as potential treatments for mood and substance use disorders. We will provide a brief review of the major findings from clinical psilocybin trials from the past two decades at Johns Hopkins and elsewhere. We will focus on major bioethical issues in this area of research. In terms of equity, research studies have involved homogenous samples largely consisting of highly educated white participants. BIPOC representation has been limited in participants of psychedelic research studies as well as research and clinicians in the field of psychedelic science. We discuss this history in the field and present ways forward. Both clinically and in research, psychedelics raise important concerns related to consent in that the changes in mental state that they induce are relevantly different from that of other psychotropics that require fairly minimal information disclosure in obtaining consent. These ‘ineffable’ changes are hard to appreciate without having experienced them before. Further, misperceptions of the risk and benefit profiles may be encouraged by a general media and lay environment that may have overstated the currently known benefits of such substances. Finally, various practices involving ‘therapeutic touch’ are used that are atypical in other therapy settings and require specific information during the consent process. Government and industry sources are funding the development of so-called “non-subjective psychedelics” which replicate certain basic neurobiological processes involved in psychedelic drug action but with the acute subjective effects (the “trip”) removed. We discuss how such efforts may motivate a characterization of the acute subjective effects of psychedelics as an unwanted “side-effect”. We consider the evidence for how to characterize the acute subjective effects and weigh the ethical issues involved in withholding these often positive and meaningful experiences in clinical settings. The prospect of psychedelic assisted psychotherapy raises a number of important bioethical issues to consider, and this talk will focus on several of the most pressing to address.  

Format 

Recorded webinar.

This content was recorded during the APA 2023 Annual Meeting.

Learning Objectives 

1. Understand major bioethical issues in the emerging field of psychedelic science as clinical applications appear imminent
2. Understand issues of racial equity and access in psychedelic research and potential clinical applications
3. Understand the need for an enhanced consent process in psychedelic research and treatments
4. Understand clinical challenges and opportunities with managing psychedelic administration sessions
5. Understand how the acute subjective effects of psychedelics (the “trip”) should be characterized and communicated about based on the available evidence

Target Audience 

Residents/Fellows, Psychiatrists, Psychologists

Estimate Time to Complete 

Estimated Duration: 1.5 hours
Program Start Date: May 1, 2025
Program End Date: May 1, 2028

How to Earn Credit 

Participants who wish to earn AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™ may do so after completing all sections of the course including the evaluation. After evaluating the program, course participants will be provided with an opportunity to claim hours of participation and print an official CME certificate (physicians) or certificate of participation (non-physicians) showing the completion date and hours earned. 

Continuing Education Credit  

In support of improving patient care, the American Psychiatric Association is jointly accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), to provide continuing education for the healthcare team. 

The APA designates this live activity for a maximum of 1.5 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity. 

Faculty and Planner Disclosures 

The American Psychiatric Association adheres to the ACCME’s Standards for Integrity and Independence in Accredited Continuing Medical Education. Any individuals in a position to control the content of a CME activity — including faculty, planners, reviewers or others — are required to disclose all relevant financial relationships with ineligible entities (commercial interests). All relevant conflicts of interest have been mitigated prior to the commencement of the activity. 

Instructors 

• David Yaden, PhD
• Albert Garcia-Romeu, PhD
• William Smith, MD, PhD
• Mary Yaden, MD

Planners  

• Vishal Madaan, MD, Chief of Education and Deputy Medical Director at the American Psychiatric Association.

Accessibility for Participants with Disabilities 

The American Psychiatric Association is committed to ensuring accessibility of its website to people with disabilities. Please contact the American Psychiatric Association at 202-559-3900, if you require assistance seven (7) business days prior to the start of a live webinar. 

Technical Requirements 

This internet-based CME activity is best experienced using any of the following: 

• The latest and 2nd latest public versions of Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, or Safari 
• Internet Explorer 11+ 

This Web site requires that JavaScript and session cookies be enabled. Certain activities may require additional software to view multimedia, presentation, or printable versions of the content. These activities will be marked as such and will provide links to the required software. That software may be: Adobe Acrobat Reader, Microsoft PowerPoint, and Windows Media Player. 

Optimal System Configuration: 

• Browser: Google Chrome (latest and 2nd latest version), Safari (latest and 2nd latest version), Internet Explorer 11.0+, Firefox (latest and 2nd latest version), or Microsoft Edge (latest and 2nd latest version) 
• Operating System: Windows versions 8.1+, Mac OS X 10.5 (Leopard) +, Android (latest and 2nd latest version), or iOS/iPad OS (latest and 2nd latest version) 
• Internet Connection: 1 Mbps or higher 

Minimum Requirements: 

• Windows PC: Windows 8.1 or higher; 1 GB (for 32-bit)/2 GB (for 64-bit) or higher RAM; Microsoft DirectX 9 graphics device with WDDM driver; audio playback with speakers for programs with video content 
• Macintosh: Mac OS X 10.5 or higher with latest updates installed; Intel, PowerPC G5, or PowerPC G4 (867MHz or faster) processor; 512 MB or higher RAM; audio playback with speakers for programs with video content 

For assistance: Contact educme@psych.org for questions about this activity | Contact learningcenter@psych.org for technical assistance