A declassified 1952 memo linked to the CIA’s secretive Project Artichoke has resurfaced, detailing early Cold War proposals to explore chemical and biological methods for influencing human behavior — including suggestions to conceal substances in food, drinks and medical treatments.
The seven-page document, titled “Special Research for Artichoke” and dated April 23, 1952, was first highlighted in a recent report by the Daily Mail. Although declassified in 1983, the memo only appeared in the CIA’s online reading room last year and has since circulated widely on social media.
Project Artichoke, which operated from 1951 to 1956, examined interrogation techniques and the potential use of drugs and other methods to alter cognition and behavior. According to the memo, researchers discussed developing substances that could be “effectively concealed in common items such as food, water, coca cola, beer, liquor, cigarettes, etc.” It also proposed that such drugs might be administered through “standard medical treatments such as vaccinations, shots, etc.”
The document acknowledges that “some of the suggestions are controversial” and references a “long-range approach to subjects,” suggesting both short-term and long-term behavioral modification strategies.
Other research areas outlined in the memo included exploring bacteria, plant cultures, fungi and poisons capable of inducing illnesses marked by high fevers or delirium. It also referenced mushroom species that could produce intoxication and mental disturbances.
In addition, the memo proposed studying the impact of dietary manipulation — including “specially canned foods having elements removed” — on prisoners and individuals undergoing interrogation.
READ ALSO: New study explains how Adenoviral COVID-19 vaccines trigger rare blood-clotting disorder
According to the Daily Mail, Project Artichoke included human experimentation, often involving vulnerable groups such as prisoners, military personnel and psychiatric patients. Reports indicate many of these experiments were conducted without informed consent.
Project Artichoke later served as a precursor to the CIA’s better-known Project MK-Ultra, launched in 1953. MK-Ultra expanded research into mind-altering substances, particularly LSD, and became the subject of congressional investigations in the 1970s.
The Church Committee hearings exposed aspects of MK-Ultra and other covert intelligence activities. However, many related documents were destroyed in 1973, leaving gaps in the historical record.
The resurfaced memo has drawn commentary from various public figures and researchers.
Naomi Wolf, author of The Pfizer Papers: Pfizer’s Crimes Against Humanity, said the document confirms a “long history” of intelligence agencies researching methods to alter human consciousness, often without consent.
John Leake, vice president of the McCullough Foundation and author of the forthcoming book Mind Viruses: America’s Irrational Obsessions, argued that public focus on MK-Ultra may have overshadowed the broader scope of Project Artichoke.
He cited the 1951 mass poisoning in Pont-Saint-Esprit — officially attributed to contaminated bread — as an event some researchers have speculated could have been linked to covert experimentation, though no definitive evidence has confirmed that claim.
Meanwhile, Ben Tapper, who was named in the “Disinformation Dozen” list in 2021 for spreading vaccine misinformation, said the memo underscores historical concerns about government overreach in medical and food systems.
The renewed attention also follows a 2024 investigation by Reuters reporting that the CIA conducted a covert propaganda campaign in the Philippines aimed at undermining China’s Sinovac COVID-19 vaccine during the pandemic.
Some commentators have attempted to draw parallels between Project Artichoke and modern COVID-19 vaccine development.
READ ALSO: Study links COVID-19 vaccination in pregnancy to higher rates of hypertensive disorders
Sasha Latypova and Debbie Lerman released what they call the “Covid Dossier,” alleging military and intelligence coordination behind pandemic responses across several Western nations. These claims remain contested and are not supported by mainstream public health authorities.
Epidemiologist Nicolas Hulscher, writing on Substack, suggested similarities between the 1952 memo and reported psychiatric side effects following vaccination campaigns. He cited recent studies examining neuropsychiatric outcomes after COVID-19 vaccination.
A 2024 study published in Molecular Psychiatry analyzed data from over 2 million individuals in South Korea, reporting increased risks of certain psychiatric conditions following vaccination, while noting decreased risks of others such as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.
A separate 2025 paper in the International Journal of Innovative Research in Medical Science reported safety signals related to neuropsychiatric outcomes, though such findings remain subject to scientific debate and ongoing review.
Public health agencies worldwide continue to maintain that approved COVID-19 vaccines underwent clinical trials demonstrating safety and efficacy, and that adverse events are monitored through established pharmacovigilance systems.
The 1952 memo also recommended collaboration with the U.S. Army Chemical Warfare Service, citing its experience in chemical research.
The Cold War era was marked by intense competition between global powers, with intelligence agencies pursuing research into interrogation methods and unconventional warfare amid fears that adversaries were doing the same.
While the existence of Project Artichoke and MK-Ultra is well documented, historians note that many original files were destroyed, leaving aspects of the programs unclear.
The resurfaced document has reignited debate about transparency, ethics in scientific research and the legacy of Cold War intelligence operations — particularly as contemporary discussions about public health, government authority and civil liberties continue to evolve.