Chacruna Institute

Photo, from left to right: Ram Dass, Alfred Matthew Hubbard, Aldous Huxley, Albert Hofmann, Ralph Metzner, Sasha Shulgin, Amanda Feilding, and Maria Sabina.

Chacruna Press Release

Chacruna.net is proud to announce the release of the Statement on Open Science and Open Praxis with Psilocybin, MDMA, and Similar Substances, to which we are a signatory.

Robert Jesse, psychedelic researcher, led the development of the statement, which reflects the history, commitment, and hopes of leaders and organizations in the field of psychedelic research and therapy.

The statement is intended to promote key principles in the research and development of psychedelic medicines, including intellectual and scientific integrity, service, open science and open practices, and non-interference. This document was developed in response to concerns that, as psilocybin and MDMA progress through clinical trials showing promise as medicines, commercial enterprises will form in ways that incentivize them to not share materials or knowledge, to prioritize profits, or to act competitively against others. 

For the past century, the field of psychedelics has been marked by cooperation over competition, including the open sharing of knowledge, methods and best practices, and materials. With commercial enterprises taking an interest in psychedelics, journalists, stakeholders, and the general public may need to ask critical questions: Will the new businesses move away from this heritage? Will they seek to interfere with or compete with each other? Do they use exclusive contracts and partnerships to restrict collaboration, sharing of information, or access to materials? Will they assert patent rights? Will they seek regulatory approvals that are tailored to serve the applicant’s financial interests while effectively locking others out? Will they follow the tradition of modest, cost-plus pricing? Or will they employ value-based pricing, charging what the market will bear after potential “competition” has been minimized?

The statement had been signed by numerous scholars, researchers, and practitioners; psychedelic research and service organizations; and philanthropists and foundations. Journalists seeking more information or professionals interested in adding their signature to the statement may write to Bob Jesse: [email protected]

Further available contacts:


STATEMENT ON OPEN SCIENCE AND OPEN PRAXIS WITH PSILOCYBIN, MDMA, AND SIMILAR SUBSTANCES

Preamble: The undersigned individuals and organizations work to advance the understanding and beneficial uses of substances called (among many names) psychedelics, hallucinogens, or entheogens. Our fields include medicine and traditional healing, medicinal chemistry and ethnopharmacology, psychopharmacology, neuroscience, psychology, counseling, religion, public health, and public policy.

From generations of practitioners and researchers before us, we have received knowledge about these substances, their risks, and ways to use them constructively. In turn, we accept the call to use that knowledge for the common good and to share freely whatever related knowledge we may discover or develop.

Therefore, in this work, we commit to the following principles. If we engage with consultants, contractors, or suppliers, we will do so in ways that uphold these principles.

1. Intellectual and scientific integrity. We affirm that we report the truth as we find it, not as we or others might prefer it to be found. We will present disappointing or adverse results as well as affirming or encouraging ones. We will properly attribute the contributions of others.

2. In service. While we may need to be paid for our labor, we are called to this work in the spirit of service. We will place the common good above private gain, and we will work for the welfare of the individuals and communities served. We will strive to make our expertise and services available to all who may benefit from them, even those whose means are limited.

3. Open science and open praxis. We will not withhold, nor will we require others to withhold, materials or knowledge (experiences, observations, discoveries, methods, best practices, or the like) for commercial advantage. This does not preclude the appropriate management of raw data or the exercise of data exclusivity rights, but we will make those decisions for the common good rather than for private gain. Nor does this preclude reasonable and ordinary charges for our books, other media, software, materials, or professional services.

4. Non-interference. We will strive to place our discoveries into the public domain, for the benefit of all. If we have patents or patents pending, we will license that intellectual property, for no more than reasonable and ordinary administrative costs, to anyone who will use it for the common good and in alignment with these principles.

Signatories may refine or expand their commitments, broadly in keeping with these principles, via further public statements. This document is an evolving work, with signatures being added. They are provisional pending a final release.

Clerk: Robert Jesse. Please email [email protected] if you’d like yourself or your organization to be included.

Scientists, scholars, and practitioners:

SignatoriesAffiliations listed for identification only
Ram DassRichard Alpert, PhD
Ralph Metzner, PhDGreen Earth Foundation
James Fadiman, PhD
Ann ShulginAlexander Shulgin Research Institute
George Greer, MDHeffer Research Institute
Dennis McKenna, PhDHeffter Research Institute
Charles S. Grob, MDUCLA School of Medicine
Harriet de Wit, PhDUniversity of Chicago
Thomas B Roberts, PhDNorthern Illinois University
Frederick S. Barret, PhDUniversity of Chicago
Mary P. Cosimano, MSWJohns Hopkins University School of Medicine
Alan K. Davis, PhDJohns Hopkins University School of Medicine
Albert Garcia-Romeu, PhDJohns Hopkins University School of Medicine
Roland R. Griffiths, PhDJohns Hopkins University School of Medicine
Darrick G. May, PhDJohns Hopkins University School of Medicine
Brian D. Richards, PsyDJohns Hopkins University School of Medicine
William A. Richards, PhDJohns Hopkins University School of Medicine
Janis Phelps, PhDCalifornia Institue of Integral Studies
Kathleen HarrisonBotanical Dimensions
Torsten Passie, MD, MA (phil.)Hannover Medical School
Katherine A. MacLean, PhD
Michael P. Bogenschultz, MDNew York University
Anthony P. Bossis, PhDNew York University
Jeffrey R. Guss, MDNew York University
Mark A.R. Kleiman, PhDNew York University
Stephen Ross, MDNew York University
Robin Carhart-Harris, PhDImperial College London
Mendel Kaelen, PhDImperial College London & Wavepaths
Taylor Lyons, PhD (cand.)Imperial College London
Jonny Martel, MRCPImperial College London
Roberta Murphy, MDImperial College London
Leor Roseman, PhDImperial College London
Ben Sessa, MD Imperial College London
Christopher Timmermann, PhD (cand)Imperial College London
Rosalind Watts, DClinPsyImperial College London
David Luke, PhDUniversity of Greenwich
Rita Kočárová, PhD. (cand.)National Institute of Mental Health, Czech Republic
Tomáš Páleníček, MD, PhDNational Institute of Mental Health, Czech Republic
Filip Tylš, MD, PhDNational Institute of Mental Health, Czech Republic
Miroslav Horák, PhDMendel University, Cech Republic
Peter S. Hendricks, PhDUniversity of Alabama at Birmingham
Brian T. Anderson, MD, MScUCSF - University of California, San Francisco
Christopher S. Stauffer, MDUCSF - University of California, San Francisco
Emily WilliamsUCSF - University of California, San Francisco
Alexander B. Belser, PhD (cand.)Yale University
Benjamin Kelmendi, MDYale School of Medicine
Jordan Sloshower, MD MScYale School of Medicine
Rick Doblin, PhDMAPS
Amy EmersonMAPS Public Benefit Corp.
Allison Feduccia, PhDMAPS Public Benefit Corp.
Lisa Jerome, PhDMAPS Public Benefit Corp.
Ann Mithoefer, BSNMAPS Public Benefit Corp.
Michael Mithoefer, MDMAPS Public Benefit Corp.
Berra Yazar-Klosinski, PhDMAPS
Charles L. Raison, MDUsona Institue & Med. U. of S. Carolina
Gabor Maté, MDSimon Fraser University
Adele GettyLimina Foundation
Jason C. Slot, PhDOhio State University
Amanda FeildingThe Beckley Foundation
Matthias E. Liechti, MD, MASUniversity Hospital Basel
José Carlos Bouso, PhDICEERS, Barcelona
Dráulio Araújo, PhDFederal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil
Beatriz Labate, PhDCIIS/CIESAS
Geoff Bathje, PhDAdler Univeristy, Chicago
Alan Cohn, MDECfES.org
James J. Franzo-EclipseECfES.org
Vip B. Short, DCECfES.org
Sophia Korb, PhD
Martin Williams, PhDPRISM, Australia
Gabrielle Agin-Liebes, PhD (cand.)Palo Alto University
Eric Osborne, MA Ed.MycoMeditations LLC and PLEDG Inc.
Sunil Kumar Aggarwal, MD, PhD, FAAPMR University of Washington
Angela Beers, PsyDshadowmedicine.com
Eleonora Molnar, MAWomen’s Visionary Congress, Canada
Paul Abramson, MDMy Doctor Medical Group & UCSF
Leia Friedman, MSThe Psychedologist
Daniel McQueen, MAMedicinal Mindfulness
Riccardo Vitale, PhDUMIYAC, Cartagena, Columbia
Iker Puente, PhDBarcelona
Rafael LancelottaUniversity of Wyoming
Julie Holland, MD
Matthew Brown, DO, MBAPsych Arts
Sonja Styk, Dr.Med.Swiss Medical Society for Psycholytic Therapy
Juraj Styk, Dr.Med.Swiss Medical Society for Psycholytic Therapy
Kevin FranciottiThe New School, New York
Kyle BullerPsychedelics Today
Meghan Kennedy, LCSWSuiteEthos, Chicago
Henrik Jungaberle, Dr.sc.hum.MIND Foundation
Kelan Thomas, PharmD, MSTouro University California & UCSF
Andrew Penn, MS, NPUCSF & Kaiser Permanente
Mary McDermott, MFT
Erika Masak-Goldman, LMFTEMG Clinical Group
Elena Felder, MFT
Efrem Nulman, PhDWellness Enterprise
Raymond C. Turpin, PsyD(Smoky Mountain Psychological Services, PLLC)
Jessica L. Nielson, PhD(University of Minnesota Medical School)
Heather L. Walker, PhD
Luís Fernando Tófoli(University of Campinas, Brazil)
Sidarta Ribeiro, PhD(Federal Univ. of Rio Grande do Norte Natal, Brazil)
K. Casey Alexander Paleos, MD(New York, NY)
Ray Worthy, PhD, MD(New Orleans, LA)

Research and service organizations:

Signatories
Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies MAPS
Heffter Research Institute
The Beckley Foundation
Erowid Center
Usona Institute see usonainstitute.org/openscience
Botanical Dimensions
California Institute of Integral Studies CIIS
Wavepaths, Ltd.
Chacruna.net
Eugene Center for Ethnobotanical Studies ECfES.org
Psychedelic Research In Science & Medicine prism.org.au
Union of Indigenous Yage Medics of the Colombian Amazon UMIYAC
Khanyisa Healing Gardens NPC, South Africa
International Center for Ethnobotanical Education Research & Service ICEERS
OPEN Foundation www.stichtingopen.nl
Medicinal Mindfulness, LLC
Heroic Hearts Project
Earth Medicine Institute
Psychedelics Today
MIND European Foundation for Psychedelic Science

Psychedelic societies and integration circles

SignatoriesLabel 2
Psychedelic Safety, Support, and Integration, Chicago
Chicago Psychedelic Community
The Psychedelic Society, UK
Portland Psychedelic Society
The Psychedelic Society Germany
Australian Psychedelic Society
Art of Waking UpLos Angeles
AsiaTripperTaiwan, HongKong, etc.
Czech Psychedelic Societyczeps.org/en

Supporters, Organizers, publishers, conferences

SignatoriesLabel 2
Psymposia
Beyond Psychedelics Czech Republic
Psychedelics and the Future of Psychiatry, Chicago
Melissa WarnerPRISM & Australian Psychedelic Society
Mike Margolies
Joost J. Breeksema, MAOPEN Foundation, Netherlands
Eric N. Codner, DCColumbus Physical Medicine Center
Jake TracyMichigan State University
Vincent Zeolla, PT, DPT4D Health & Performance Center)
4D Health & Performance CenterNorwalk, CT
www.drugscience.de

Philanthropists and philanthropic foundations:

Signatories
Robert J. Barnhart
CSP Fund
Betsy Gordon
Bill Linton
Carey and Claudia Turnbull
Riverstyx Foundation
Dr. Bronner’s
George Sarlo Foundation
Evolve.Foundation
Source Research Foundation

The most current version of this statement can be found at csp.org/open.

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