Psychedelics for treating psychiatric disorders: Are they safe?

P sychedelics are a class of substances known to produce alterations in consciousness and perception. In the last 2 decades, psychedelic research has garnered increasing attention from scientists, therapists, entrepreneurs, and the public. While many of these compounds remain illegal in the United States and in many parts of the world (Box, 1 page 16), a recent resurrection of psychedelic research has motivated the FDA to designate multiple psychedelic compounds as "breakthrough therapies," thereby expediting the investigation, development, and review of psychedelic treatments.