Investors… [shall own?]… the future of psychedelics
…for-profit ventures don’t get a free pass. They can also cause harm, and they often do. [Christian Angermayer, funder of ATAI/COMPASS states] “In no way do I believe the for-profit medical model will negatively impact the lives of indigenous shamans… one point which is very dear to my heart in this context is decriminalization. Nobody should get arrested or blamed for growing sacred substances him/her/themselves. I am actually convinced that our efforts to grow an active funding market and for-profit companies in the psychedelic therapy space will help promote broader awareness into the potential of these compounds, thus supporting decriminalization efforts. However, I want to emphasize that I am NOT an advocate for recreational use.”
There will be compelling temptations to make unethical decisions, pursue unfair anti-competitive practices (e.g., patenting “inventions” that aren’t inventions), generate revenue without adding value (e.g., IP trolling), charge as much as possible… and treat the psychedelic landscape as a winner-take-all or zero-sum game…. it’s an interesting turning point for the psychedelic community. After decades of fighting for its legitimacy, the field is flooded with new companies that want to take part. And while every promising pharmaceutical drug contends with intellectual property, profit, ownership, and patent law, the conflict between the ethos that often accompanies psychedelic experiences (as well as a deep-rooted belief in its ability to help people) and the imperatives of capitalism has produced lengthy deliberations of whether psychedelic[s] can and should operate differently. [Tim Ferris says] “…I began funding studies in psychedelic science circa late 2015, and I was a founding funder of the first dedicated research center in the world (Imperial College) and the first in the US (Johns Hopkins). I believe these and other “seed investments” have had large compounding effects, including cultural and institutional domino effects on an international scale. I judge my investments and philanthropy based on outcomes, not the size of my inputs. Little amounts can do a lot when put in early.”
Original Article (Vice & Tim.blog):
Investors are debating who should own the future of psychedelics & Some thoughts on for-profit psychedelic startups and companies
Artwork Fair Use: Moonbarker