Apr. 14, 1966 - Sandoz Pharmaceuticals, Inc., the only legal U.S. distributor of LSD, has halted distribution of the drug and recall all supplies previously provided to researchers, a move expected to suspend most experiments involving human subjects.
The company said it would also withdraw pending investigational applications, ending its role in supplying the hallucinogen to accredited scientific programs. Sandoz officials linked the action to growing publicity about illegal trafficking which has negatively affected the company’s reputation.
However, the move is not likely to affect illegal production.
“I should not be surprised,” said one Sandoz official, “if at any one of a number of campuses there is more LSD than we have ever made.”
The company estimates that its total output amounts to no more than a few pounds, with individual human doses typically no larger than a grain of salt.
Medical authorities have reported that LSD can produce reactions ranging from intense joy to terror and may be dangerous without supervision.
Sandoz developed LSD in 1943 and has not sold the drug commercially, instead providing it under strict controls to approved investigators.
Some Federally supported programs are expected to continue under special arrangements with the Food and Drug Administration and Sandoz.
Scientists are also preparing a plan, subject to Federal approval, that would allow approximately 50 researchers in the U.S. to obtain LSD under conditions intended to avoid further damage to the company’s standing.
Sandoz made its policy change official Monday after notifying Federal authorities, following earlier warnings to researchers.
The LSD controversy has been heightened by a New York homicide case involving a medical school dropout identified as a user of LSD. The man, Stephen Kessler, 30, was charged with killing his mother-in-law and was sent to a hospital for observation.
Police said that at the time of his arrest he stated: “Man, I’ve been flying for three days on LSD. Did I kill my wife? Did I rape anybody? What have I done?”
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