Is HHS too cosy with the psychedelic industry, and is the public being misled about psychedelic risks?

The piece argues that close relationships between the US Department of Health and Human Services, psychedelic companies, and politically influential sponsors may be weakening public communication about psychedelic risks. At the MAHA Summit, CEOs of Definium, Compass Pathways, and Helus reportedly paid to participate alongside HHS officials, while two executives compared psychedelic experiences to anesthesia and denied lasting negative effects. The author contrasts those claims with a trial participant's account of prolonged distress and cites estimates that 5% to 35% of users feel worse after a trip, with 9% reporting moderate-to-severe difficulties lasting more than a month. The article warns that FDA approval and enthusiastic government messaging could encourage wider unregulated use, while clinical monitoring and reporting of psychological adverse events remain inconsistent. It also criticizes efforts to reduce therapy to basic psychological support and urges more honest risk disclosure.