Brocher Meetups Live

Meetup 24: Tuesday, April 8th, 2025 at 4pm (Geneva Time)

Should We Abandon the Use of Placebos in Psychedelic Research?

 

Randomised controlled trials (RCTs), particularly double-blind designs, are considered the gold standard for assessing therapeutic efficacy. However, in psychedelic research, the profound subjective effects of psychedelics challenge blinding, raising concerns about the interpretation of efficacy. In response, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has recommended trials incorporating both placebo-controlled and non-placebo-controlled arms.

 

Debate continues over what causes therapeutic effects in Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy—whether the substance itself or its combination with the therapeutic context. Some suggest psychedelics act as “active super-placebos,” amplifying pre-existing beliefs and intentions. The understanding of the causes of therapeutic effects has implications for research design, with some advocating for the continued use of placebos in RCTs, others calling for their abandonment, and some proposing middle-ground solutions such as active placebos or independent raters.This webinar will explore these perspectives, weighing the arguments for and against placebos in psychedelic research, as well as potential compromises.

 

Co-organising institution: Forum for Global Health Ethics (University of Zurich)

 

The authors of the webinar’s concept — Tania Manríquez and Holger Baumann, University of Zurich

 

  • Chair: Sally Davies, Senior Editor

 

  • Dr Matt Butler, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King’s College London 

 

 

Brocher Meetup Replays

Special Edition # 1 | 13 November 2020 | The Covid-19 Pandemic: A Humanitarian Crisis


For this special edition, we received:

  • Karl Blanchet Professor @ Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva
  • Joanne Liù Doctor @ University of Montreal
  • Antoine Flahault Professor @ University of Geneva
  • Ciara Staunton Doctor @ Middlesex University of London as moderator

Follow this link to watch the replay on our youtube channel: Replay

# 1 | 28 January 2021 | Covid and bioethics; What role have bioethicists have played in forming policy, what have we learned so far and how best to be constructive going forward

For this first Brocher Meetup, we received:
  • Arthur Caplan Professor @ NYU Grossmann School of Medicine
  • Kiarash Aramesh Assistant Professor @ Edinboro University
  • Thomas Douglas Professor @ University of Oxford
  • Jan Heldge Solbakk Professor @ University of Oslo
  • Yeyang Su Doctor@ Chinese Academy of Sciences of Beijing
Related Bibliography:
  • Kupferschmidt, K. (2020) WHO unveils global plan to fairly distribute COVID-19 vaccine, but challenges await. Science ( Link) | World Health Organization (2020) WHO SAGE values framework for the allocation and prioritization of COVID-19 vaccination, 14 September 2020 (Link) | COVAX – Working for global equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines (Link)
  • Initiatives from South Africa and India in calling for the IP reform to facilitate access to vaccines in less resourceful countries. Usher, A. D. (2020) South Africa and India push for COVID-19 patents ban. The Lancet. [Online] 396 (10265), 1790–1791.
  • Springer article (Link)

Follow this link to watch the replay on our youtube channel: Replay

# 2 | 11 February 2021 | Priority groups for COVID-19 vaccination: Ethics, policy and practice in select jurisdictions

For this Brocher Meetup, we received:
  • Françoise Baylis Professor @ Dalhousie University
  • Gaia Barazzetti Senior Researcher @ University of Lausanne
  • Angus Clarke Professor @ Cardiff University
  • Bjorn Hoffman Professor @ University of Oslo
  • Jan Eerik Leppänen PhD Researcher @ Felm NGO
Follow this link to watch the replay on our youtube channel: Replay

# 3 | 25 February 2021 | From your perspective, what has been your country's greatest or most unexpected challenge or unintended consequence in relation to Covid-19?

For this Brocher Meetup, we received:
  • Diane B. Paul Professor @ University Massachusetts Boston
  • Meredith Temple Smith Professor @ University of Melbourne
  • Ruth Chadwick Professor Emerita @ Cardiff University
  • Flis Henwood Professor @ University of Brighton
  • Alexandre McClelland Assistant Professor @ Carleton University
  • Brigìda Riso PhD @ CIES-iscte, Lisbon
  • Priya Satalkar Dr @ Ghent University
  • Denise Steers Dr @ University of Otago
  • Mary Jean Walker Dr @ La Trobe University
 
Follow this link to watch the replay on our youtube channel: Replay

# 4 | 11 March 2021 | What Have We Learned About COVID Preparedness so Far, and Where Does Bioethics Leads Us?

For this Brocher Meetup, we received:
  • Barry R. Furrow Professor @ Drexel University
  • Robert Cook-Deagan Professor @ Arizona State University
  • Dena S. Davies Professor @  Lehigh University
  • Stefan Ecks Doctor @ University of Edinburgh
  • Reed Pyeritz Professor @ University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine
  • Leigh E. Rich Professor @ Georgia Southern University
 

Follow this link to watch the replay on our youtube channel: Replay

# 5 | 25 March 2021 | Covid and its impact on the ethics of pandemic surveillance

For this Brocher Meetup, we received:
  • Bertrand Taithe Professor @ The University of Manchester
  • Michael Bartos Honorary Associate Professor @ Australian National University
  • Lukas Engelmann Doctor @  The University of Edinburgh
  • Alain Giami Emeritus Research Professor @ INSERM France
  • Adam Henschke Doctor @ National Security College, College of Asia and the Pacific
  • Christos Lynteris Doctor @ University of St Andrews
  • Benjamin Mason Meier Associate Professor @ University of North California
  • Monika Sawhney Associate Professor @ University of North California
 

Follow this link to watch the replay on our youtube channel: Replay

# 6 | 29 April 2021 | Mandating Covid-19 Vaccination Certificates and Passports: Benefits, Risks, and Challenges

For this Brocher Meetup, we received:
  • Ruth Macklin Professor @ Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York
  • Sharon Bassan @ DePaul University College of Law, Chicago
  • Diego S. Silva Lecture @ The University of Sydney School of Public Health
  • Maxwell J. Smith  Assistant Professor @ Western University, London, Ontario

Follow this link to watch the replay on our youtube channel: Replay

# 7 | 27 May 2021 | Justice in an Unjust World: COVID -19 and Global Justice

For this  Brocher Meetup, we received:
  • Laurie Zoloth Professor @ The University of Chigago
  • Anna Berti Suman @ Tilburg University, Institute for law
  • Tereza Hendl Research Associate @ University in Munich
  • Euzebiusz Jamrozik Dr @ University of Oxford
  • Ali Kazemian Chair & Assistant Professor @ Mashhad University of Medical Sciences
    Prevan Moodley Senior Researcher @ University of Johannesburg
  • William Ollier Emeritus Professor @ University of Manchester
  • Ruud ter Meulen Emeritus Professor @ University of Bristol
  • John Noël Vina Dr  @ The Australian  National University  

Follow this link to watch the replay on our youtube channel: Replay

# 8 | 8 July 2021 | Visions of a post-pandemic world

For this eight Brocher Meetup, we received:
  • Sally Davies Editor @ Aeon Magazine
  • Diane B. Paul Professor @ University of Massachusetts Boston | Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard University
  • Arthur Caplan Professor @ NYU Grossman School of Medicine
  • Barry R. Furrow Professor @ Drexel University
  • Ruth Macklin Emeritus Professor  @ Albert Einstein College of Medicine
  • Bertrand Taithe Professor @ The University of Manchester
  • Laurie Zoloth Professor @ The University of Chicago 

Follow this link to watch the replay on our youtube channel: Replay

# 9 | 22 September 2021 | The Ethics of organoids

For this ninth Brocher Meetup, we received:
  • Sally Davies Editor @ Aeon Magazine
  • Alysson R. Muotri Dr, Professor @ University of California San Diego
  • Jan Helge Solbakk Professor @ University of Oslo

Follow this link to watch the replay on our youtube channel: Replay

# 10 | 8 December 2021 | The Past, Present, and Future of Human Experimentation: Research Ethics after Covid-19

For this Brocher Meetup, we received:
  • Sally Davies Editor @ Aeon Magazine
  • Andreas Frewer Professor @ Friedrich-Alexander University
  • Otmar Kloiber Dr @ World Medical Association
  • Ulf Schmidt Professor @ University of Hamburg
  • Dominique Sprumont Professor  @ Institute of Health Law, Federal Office of Public Health

Follow this link to watch the replay on our youtube channel: Replay

# 11 | 17 March 2022 | Is humanitarianism fit for purpose? Ethical considerations on humanitarian practices from a practitioner and historical perspective

For this Brocher Meetup, we received:
  • Sally Davies Editor @ Aeon Magazine
  • Carloline Abu Sa’da Director @ Swiss SOS Méditerranée
  • Karl Blanchet Professor @ Geneva Centre for Humanitarian Studies
  • Bertrand Taithe Professor @ The University of Manchester

Follow this link to watch the replay on our youtube channel: Replay

# 12 | 31 May 2022 | Navigating the surrogacy labyrinth: the ethical, legal and psychological dimensions for children

For this Brocher Meetup, we received:
  • Sally Davies Editor @ Aeon Magazine
  • Mia Dambach @ Child Identity Protection
  • Géraldine Mathiew Professor @ University of Namur
  • Sharon Pettle Dr @ University College London

Follow this link to watch the replay on our youtube channel: Replay

#13 | 14 November 2022 | Ethical and legal complexities in genomic data sharing in consortia: reflections from Asia, Africa and Europe.

For this Brocher Meetup, we received:
  • Sally Davies Editor @ Aeon Magazine
  • Ciara Staunton @ Eurac Research
  • Calvin Ho @ University of Hong Kong  
  • Deborah Mascalzoni @ Eurac Research
  • Paulina Tindana @ University of Ghana School of Public Health
  • Follow this link to watch the replay on our youtube channel: Replay

# 14 | 02 March 2023 | Healthy, Wealthy, and Wise: The Ethics of Benefit-Cost Analysis.

For this Brocher Meetup, we received:
  • Sally Davies Editor @ Aeon Magazine

Follow this link to watch the replay on our youtube channel: Replay

# 15 | 12 June 2023 | Exploring Moral Resilience and Ethical Practice Across Cultures.

For this Brocher Meetup, we received:
  • Sally Davies Editor @ Aeon Magazine
  • Cynda Hylton Rushton @ Johns Hopkins University
  • Ingrid Miljeteig @ University of Bergen
  • Rachel Chikondi @ Lilongwe Institute of Orthopaedics and Neurosurgery (LION)

Follow this link to watch the replay on our youtube channel: Replay

# 16 | 21 August 2023 | Three approaches to Death and Dying: Japanese, Sub-Saharan African and American.

For this Brocher Meetup, we received:
  • Sally Davies Editor @ Aeon Magazine
  • Nancy S. Jecker, PhD @ University of Washington
  • Miho Tanaka, MPH @ Japan Medical Association Research Institute
  • Gail Van Norman @ University of Washington

Follow this link to watch the replay on our youtube channel: Replay

# 17 | 02 November 2023 |Restricting rights in the name of health

For this Brocher Meetup, we received:
  • Sally Davies Editor @ Aeon Magazine
  • David Carter, Associate Professor @ University of New South Wales
  • Lisa Forman, Associate Professor @ University of Toronto
  • Katie Young, Professor @ Boston College Law School

Follow this link to watch the replay on our youtube channel: Replay

# 18 | 22 January 2024 |Ethics and Care workforce

For this  Brocher Meetup, we received:
  • Sally Davies Editor @ Aeon Magazine
  • Howard Catton, Chief Executive Officer @ International Council of Nurses, Geneva
  • Ann Gallagher, Professor and Head of Health Sciences @ University of London
  • Elizabeth Peter, Professor @ University of Toronto

Follow this link to watch the replay on our youtube channel: Replay

# 19 | 19 March 2024 | Ethical Challenges of Conducting Human Subjects Resarch

For this Brocher Meetup, we received:
  • Sally Davies Editor @ Aeon Magazine
  • Brietta R. Clark, Interim Dean and Senior Vice President, Professor of law and J.Rex Dibble Fellow @ Loyola Law School, Marymount University
  • Shanna Harris,  Associate Professor, Department of Anthropology / Department of Internal Medicine @ University of Central Florida
  • Haihong Zhang, Office Director @ University Human Research Protection Program

Follow this link to watch the replay on our youtube channel: Replay

# 20 | 23 April 2024 | Towards an Ethics-Based Governance Framework for AI-Enabled Health Innovations?

For this Brocher Meetup, we received:
 
Sally Davies Editor @ Aeon Magazine
 
Ross Upshur, Dr. – former Director @ University of Toronto Joint Centre for Bioethics
 
Ivana Greguric,  Associate Professor of Philosophy @ University of Zagreb
 
Georg Starke, Postdoctoral Researcher, College of Humanities, Intelligent Systems Ethics Group @ EPFL
 
Ching-Fu Lin, Professor, Institute of Law for Science and Technology
Director, Interdisciplinary Program of Management & Technology
 @ National Tsing Hua University, Taiwan

 

Follow this link to watch the replay on our youtube channel: Replay

# 21 | 16 October 2024 |Exploring the ethical implications pf net zero healthcare

For this Brocher Meetup, we received:
 
Sally Davies Editor @ Aeon Magazine
 
Anand Singh Bhopal, Researcher, @ Bergen Centre for Ethics and Priority Setting, Department of Global Public Health & Primary Care, University of Bergen
 
Valentina De Maack, PhD student @ School of Public Health and in the Bioethics programs, University of Montreal
 
Charles Dupras, Professeur adjoint et responsable des programmes de bioéthique @ École de santé publique, département de médecine sociale et préventive, Université de Montréal

 

Sandy Tubeuf, Professor in Health Economics @ CircleU Chair of Global Health, Université catholique de Louvain
 

Follow this link to watch the replay on our youtube channel: Replay

# 22 | 17 January 2025 | Disinformation and trust in the health sector: what are the impacts and the ethical challenges?

For this Brocher Meetup, we received:

 

Sally Davies Editor @ Aeon Magazine

 

Arthur Caplan, Drs. William F and Virginia Connolly Mitty Professor and founding head of the Division of Medical Ethics @ NYU School of Medicine in New York City

 

Dena Davis, Presidential Endowed Chair in Health @Lehigh University Bethlehem, PA

 

Ruth Macklin, DistinguishedUniversity Professor Emerita (Bioethics)

@ Albert Einstein College of Medicine in the Bronx, New York, USA

 

Laurie Zoloth, Professor Margaret E. Burton Chair of Religion and Ethics @ University of Chicago

 

 

 

Follow this link to watch the replay on our youtube channel: Replay

# 23 | 21 February 2025 | Addressing the latest breakthroughs in transplantation and xenotransplantation: what are the medical hopes and ethical challenges?

For this Brocher Meetup, we received:

 

Sally Davies Editor @ Aeon Magazine

 

Jay Fishman, Associate Director, MGH Transplantation Center

Director, Transplant Infectious Disease & Compromised Host Program, Massachusetts General Hospital, Professor of Medicine @ Harvard Medical School



Robert Truog, Frances Glessner Lee Distinguished Professor of Medical Ethics, Anaesthesia, & Pediatrics, Senior Associate in Critical Care Medicine, Department of Anesthesiology, Critical Care, and Pain Medicine, Boston Children’s Hospital, Center for Bioethics, Department of Global Health and Social Medicine @ Harvard Medical School

 

 

 

 

Follow this link to watch the replay on our youtube channel: Replay

# 24 | 8 April 2025 | "Should We Abandon the Use of Placebos in Psychedelic Research?"

Webinar Concept Brocher Foundation & Forum for Global Health Ethics, University of Zurich by Tania Manríquez and Holger Baumann

 

For this Brocher Meetup, we received:

 

Sally Davies Editor @ Aeon Magazine

 

Dr Matt Butler
Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King’s College London 

 

Prof Dr Matthias Liechti
University of Basel, Switzerland 

 

Dr Daniel Villiger
Department of Philosophy, University of Zurich 

 

Follow this link to watch the replay on our youtube channel: Replay