No. Ayahuasca is not safe for people who are pregnant, taking serotonergic medications without washout, have a personal or family history of schizophrenia or psychosis, have bipolar disorder with a history of mania or psychotic features, have severe uncontrolled hypertension, have active epilepsy, or have serious liver or kidney disease. For everyone else, the evidence supports an acceptable safety profile in controlled settings with proper screening. The difference between a safe and an unsafe ayahuasca experience is largely determined by the screening process, the facilitation quality, and the honesty of the participant going into it (White et al., 2024; ICEERS, 2024). For those working through whether they are a suitable candidate for ceremony.
