Informed consent and treatment briefing

The manuals converge on the need for clear, ethically valid informed consent before psychedelic or ketamine-assisted treatment begins. Across the extracts, the sources recommend explaining the intervention in understandable terms, including its expected psychological effects, likely benefits, and the risks or adverse effects that may occur. They also consistently frame consent as voluntary, documented, and tied to respect for participant autonomy. They also overlap on anticipatory briefing. The ketamine protocol and the ayahuasca report both emphasise preparing participants for what may happen during the session, including psychoactive or hallucinogenic experiences, while the ketamine source adds practical briefing about what will happen during the first dosing session, what to expect after drug administration, and discharge information after dosing. The ibogaine source similarly stresses explaining expected benefits and the uncertainties around the evidence base. The main differences are in emphasis and context. The ibogaine manual places particular weight on the experimental or observational nature of the evidence and on serious risk potential, including known and unknown risks and serious adverse events. The ayahuasca source focuses more specifically on the substance’s general psychological effects and adverse effects described in the psychiatric literature, with written informed consent before participation. The ketamine source is more operational, adding session logistics, post-dose expectations, and discharge information, alongside ongoing choice about participation.