PT564 – How Safe is Ibogaine Therapy? The Delicate Balance of Risk and Efficacy, with Thomas Feegel

In this episode, Joe interviews Thomas Feegel: co-founder of Beond Ibogaine, an ibogaine treatment and research facility in Cancún, Mexico. When Feegel first heard of ibogaine 16 years ago, he found that people were having great success, but nobody could recommend where to go for treatment. So he worked to create what was needed: a combination of a hospital, mental health treatment facility, retreat center, and resort, with the proper infrastructure in place, employees with ICU experience, exhaustive HIPAA-compliant admission criteria, regular data collection, and a major focus on safety. Addressing the recent Rolling Stone article about the tragic death of a patient at Beond in 2022 (interestingly, 2 days after his initial dose), he discusses what he feels was inaccurate, largely related to what could be perceived as a suggestion that there wasn't enough screening or that corners were cut. With no official reason given for the patient's death, it brings into question just how safe one can be, especially with people whose bodies and hearts have been through so much. How much hidden harm is created by the stress of PTSD and addiction? He discusses: The complexity of journalism and drawing conclusions from limited information The limitations of conventional addiction treatments and the sad numbers around how many people stick with rehab The importance of collecting as much data as possible about each patient, at regular intervals, prior to, during, and after the experience The need for a regulating group to create standards around admission and administration procedures for ibogaine and more!  We're releasing this episode on Veterans Day because Beond's program was co-developed by veterans, military medical personnel, and active-duty law enforcement officers who have seen how much ibogaine can help. If you know a vet who is struggling, be sure to let them know what's possible with psychedelic therapy.  For links, head to the show notes page.