Social disapproval – not legislation – wiped out LSD testing in the 20th Century

‘The first lady of LSD history’ Dr Ericka Dyck’s Vital presentation began with a curved ball.

The Canadian historian pointed out that pharmaceuticals were bang on-trend during the 1950s after the successful roll-out of anti-psychotic chlorpromazine (Thorazine). This generated goodwill for tests on more ‘wonder drugs’.

However, in the early1960s the startling effects of thalidomide on pregnancy came to light. “Images of deformed children caused outcry and a moral panic over testing ethics,” plus the emerging anti-modernity movement fuelled a backlash that brought LSD – brand name ‘Delysid’ – testing to a halt in Canada by 1962.

Leary was fired from Harvard in April 1962. FDA-sanctioned research continued until 1977, but funding and support rapidly became non-existent.