In This 'Quasi-Medical Space,' Sexual Assaults and Death

Key Points:

• A surge in loosely regulated psychedelic clinics in Latin America and other regions has led to multiple deaths and alleged abuses involving substances like ibogaine and ayahuasca, including fatal heart issues and organ failure.
• Many clinics lack proper medical oversight, with a JAMA review showing fewer than half have medical professionals and only about 10% have emergency-trained staff.
• Reports include patients being pressured to abruptly stop psychiatric medications, combine risky drugs, accept prescriptions without screening, and experiences of exploitative marketing and sexual assault.
• Experts warn that the rapidly growing, largely unregulated international psychedelic industry poses significant risks and could provoke backlash, emphasizing that misuse and unethical treatment—not the substances themselves—are the core issues.
• Advocates and ethicists call for better safeguards and regulation to prevent harm as US interest in psychedelic therapies continues to rise.