Between the early 1950s and the 1970s, the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) ran a covert project known as MKUltra. Its goal was to explore methods of mind control, behavioral manipulation, and psychological influence during the Cold War.
Declassified documents later revealed that the agency conducted a series of highly unethical experiments, often without the knowledge or consent of the participants. These methods included the administration of LSD, electroconvulsive therapy, hypnosis, sensory deprivation, and verbal conditioning.
The project was largely driven by fears that foreign adversaries were developing mind control techniques. In response, the U.S. sought to understand whether it was possible to manipulate individuals to extract information, induce confessions, or even carry out actions against their will — sometimes with no memory of doing so.
One of the most controversial aspects of MKUltra involved experiments conducted on vulnerable individuals, including psychiatric patients, prisoners, and even ordinary citizens. Many were not informed of what was being done to them, which amounted to a serious violation of ethical and medical standards.
A key figure in the program was Dr. Ewen Cameron, a Scottish-born psychiatrist based in Montreal. At the Allan Memorial Institute, Cameron carried out aggressive psychiatric procedures including “psychic driving” — a method that involved repeated audio messages combined with heavy sedation and electroshock. These procedures left many patients with lasting cognitive damage, memory loss, and psychological trauma.
In 1973, most MKUltra documents were ordered to be destroyed, which has made it difficult to fully understand the scope of the program. What remains today are partial files, testimonies, and a handful of investigations that suggest widespread misconduct.
MKUltra is now often cited as one of the clearest examples of state-sponsored human experimentation that disregarded basic ethical principles. It continues to raise questions about accountability, transparency, and how far institutions are willing to go in the name of national security.
Sources:
CIA’s Declassified Documents: https://www.cia.gov/readingroom/document/06760269
The New York Times: https://www.nytimes.com/2019/09/10/books/review/poisoner-in-chief-stephen-kinzer.html
This is scary!