Speaker: Amy L. McGuire, J.D., Ph.D., the Leon Jaworski Professor of Biomedical Ethics and Director of the Center for Medical Ethics and Health Policy at Baylor College of Medicine

Abstract: There is tremendous excitement about the therapeutic potential of psychedelic substances like MDMA and psilocybin, and impressive bi-partisan advocacy for access to these drugs, both within and outside of the healthcare system. Are healthcare providers ready for what many are calling “The Psychedelic Renaissance”? In this lecutre, Dr. Amy McGuire will explore alternative pathways to access psychedelics in the U.S. and the appropriate role of healthcare gatekeeping. Drawing on her research on psychedelic retreat organizations and experience working with Indigenous communities in South America, Dr. McGuire will examine the potential risks of unregulated psychedelic use and explore what it means to approach psychedelic drug research with epistemic humility.