Addiction experts cite patient-directed care and unapproved ibogaine use in Presley Gerber death

Presley Gerber, the 27-year-old son of model Cindy Crawford, died on Sunday at a rehabilitation facility in California. Emergency logs show 911 was called for a suspected overdose and cardiac arrest, while toxicology results are still pending.

Addiction specialist Dr. Drew Pinsky said the case illustrates a concerning trend in which patients influence their own treatment plans. > "When I listened to [Gerber's] video, what struck me and concerned me was that the patient seemed to be determining some of the care. That's never good," he said on his podcast.

Pinsky noted that Gerber had reportedly traveled to Mexico for a high-dose ibogaine treatment, a psychoactive compound derived from an African shrub that is not approved by the FDA and is classified as a Schedule I substance because of risks including fatal heart arrhythmias. He added that patients he has observed using ibogaine or ayahuasca often relapse to opioid use and may experience personality changes.

Dr. Nicholas Kardaris, CEO of the New York Center for Living, emphasized that the period during and immediately after rehab is especially hazardous, as reduced tolerance can make a previously tolerated dose lethal. > "People are in rehab because they’re struggling with addiction. It doesn’t mean they’re cured," he told a reporter.

Both experts cautioned that even high-end facilities cannot guarantee recovery from severe opioid dependence, describing the disorder as progressive and comparable in prognosis to serious illnesses.