I head the Centre for Psychedelic Research at Imperial College London, the first of its kind, supported by about £3m in philanthropic donations.
Like the present pandemic, a psychedelic drug experiences can be transformative – of the individual – and of society.
Both illuminate the extent to which the condition of the world we inhabit is dependent on our own behaviours.
A few months later, Johns Hopkins University in the US announced a supersized version, floated by $17m.
There hasn’t been a breakthrough in mental healthcare for some time, and psychedelic therapy works very differently to current treatments.
These drugs haven’t changed much since their discovery, and come with side effects that put people off taking them.
If psychedelic therapy does fulfil its potential, it will be providing the same essential lessons. »
