MKUltra Experiments

The program conducted extensive research into mind-altering substances and techniques, often without informed consent and with devastating consequences.

Substances Tested

LSD (Lysergic Acid Diethylamide)

Most extensively studied substance, often administered without knowledge or consent

Barbiturates & Amphetamines

Used in combination with other drugs for interrogation purposes

Mescaline & Psilocybin

Natural psychedelics studied for their mind-altering properties

Scopolamine & THC

Studied for truth serum and amnesia-producing qualities

Methods Used

Unwitting Administration

Drugs given to subjects without their knowledge or consent

Sensory Deprivation

Isolation tanks and sensory isolation techniques

Hypnosis & Suggestion

Attempts to program behavior through hypnotic techniques

Electroshock Therapy

Used to induce amnesia and break down psychological resistance

Notable Experiments

Operation Midnight Climax

CIA-run brothels in San Francisco where clients were dosed with LSD without their knowledge. Sessions were observed through one-way mirrors and recorded for study.

Canadian Experiments

Dr. Ewen Cameron's experiments at McGill University funded by MKUltra. Patients were subjected to "psychic driving" - massive electroshock, drug-induced comas, and sensory deprivation.

Frank Olson Case

Army scientist given LSD without his knowledge, suffered mental breakdown, and died under mysterious circumstances falling from a hotel window.

Prison Testing

Extensive testing on prisoners at facilities like the Addiction Research Center in Lexington, Kentucky, where inmates were given drugs in exchange for participation.

Institutional Involvement

Universities

  • Harvard University
  • Stanford University
  • Columbia University
  • McGill University

Hospitals

  • Massachusetts General Hospital
  • Mount Sinai Hospital
  • Allan Memorial Institute

Research Centers

  • Addiction Research Center
  • Bureau of Narcotics
  • Various state mental hospitals

Pharmaceutical Companies

  • Sandoz (LSD supplier)
  • Eli Lilly
  • Various chemical companies