Decision Checklist

Check the treatment setting and qualifications.

Ask who is responsible for medical decisions, what qualifications they hold, how those qualifications can be verified, and whether a licensed clinician is directly involved in screening and emergency planning. Do not treat a polished website, testimonial, or travel package as proof of clinical capacity.

• Ask what monitoring is available during the treatment period and who responds if a complication occurs.
• Ask whether the setting has a written transfer plan for urgent medical care.
• Compare the option with a licensed treatment path through the care-navigation information available through Grapevine, rather than evaluating it in isolation.

Do not skip medical screening.

Ibogaine has particular cardiac concerns. A credible conversation should include personal and family cardiac history, an ECG, current and recently used medications, substance use, and other conditions that may affect risk. For focused background, review the discussion of ibogaine cardiac risk before accepting reassurance that screening is optional.

• Ask who reviews the ECG and medication list, when that review happens, and what findings would rule out treatment.
• Ask about possible medication interactions and whether a prescribing clinician should be involved before anything changes.
• Ask how risks related to heart rhythm are identified and handled; the FDA's medication-safety guidance is a reminder that medication decisions can carry serious consequences.

Separate hope from a promise.

People may encounter broad claims about ibogaine, including claims involving conditions beyond opioid use. For example, information about ibogaine and Parkinson's treatment claims should be treated as a reason to ask for evidence, not as a reason to assume a benefit. Families can be supportive without endorsing certainty that the evidence does not provide.