Psychiatric News
August 15, 2023
Nick Zagorski
3 citations
Australia became the first country to legalize MDMA and psilocybin for medical use by prescription, effective July 2023, as part of psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy for PTSD and treatment-resistant depression. Psychiatrists note that while phase 3 trials for MDMA are completed, psilocybin's phase 3 trials have just begun, with combined data from earlier studies involving just over 100 subjects and a larger phase 2 study of 233 participants showing positive results at 12 weeks. However, barriers include high costs (around $25,000 Australian dollars for a full course), lack of trained therapists, domestic manufacturers, and unclear standards of care. Experts caution that rigorous safety measures are needed and that Australia's decision may not influence U.S. regulatory timelines.
Psychiatric News
June 28, 2023
Nick Zagorski
1 citation
Clinicians offering psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy should provide enhanced informed consent that goes beyond standard practice, according to presenters at an APA Annual Meeting session. Because psychedelic effects are often ineffable and can include spiritual experiences, discomfort, or challenging reactions, patients need detailed information about possible outcomes. A survey of recreational psychedelic users found that about 40% rated a bad trip as one of the most challenging experiences of their lives. Clinicians should also discuss risks such as emergent psychosis, re-exposure to old traumas, and the potential for therapeutic touching, establishing clear boundaries beforehand to prevent violations.
Psychiatric News
October 28, 2019
Nick Zagorski
1 citation
Johns Hopkins University has launched a Center for Psychedelic and Consciousness Research, funded by $17 million in private donations that will provide five years of operational support. The center will focus on studying psychedelic compounds, initially psilocybin, for treating psychiatric disorders. Planned clinical studies will examine psilocybin for opioid use disorder, posttraumatic stress disorder, alcohol use disorder with depression, Alzheimer's disease, Lyme disease, and anorexia nervosa. Researchers emphasize that these are early-stage studies and that psychedelic research must proceed cautiously, as the substances have risks and require supervised use.
Psychiatric News
December 26, 2022
Nick Zagorski
A single 25-mg dose of psilocybin, given with psychological support, reduced depression symptoms for at least three weeks in adults with treatment-resistant depression. In a trial at 22 sites across 10 countries, 233 participants were randomized to 1 mg, 10 mg, or 25 mg of psilocybin. After three weeks, depression scores on the Montgomery–Åsberg Depression Rating Scale dropped by 12.0 points in the 25-mg group, 7.9 points in the 10-mg group, and 5.4 points in the 1-mg group; the difference between the 25-mg and 10-mg groups was statistically significant, but the difference between the 10-mg and 1-mg groups was not.
Psychiatric News
March 1, 2021
Nick Zagorski
No Summary
Psychiatric News
April 13, 2020
Nick Zagorski
A review by APA's Work Group on Biomarkers and Novel Treatments examines the pharmacology and clinical trials of four psychedelic agents—MDMA, psilocybin, LSD, and ayahuasca—for psychiatric disorders. Placebo-controlled trials show efficacy of MDMA for PTSD and psilocybin for depression and cancer-related anxiety; evidence for LSD and ayahuasca remains preliminary. The report calls for standard protocols and rating scales, and notes that Schedule I classification hinders research by requiring DEA approval and limiting federal funding. The work group does not advocate clinical use but suggests the field needs NIH support and an international symposium to set shared priorities.
Psychiatric News
February 28, 2019
Nick Zagorski
Small studies over the past decade suggest that psychedelic compounds such as LSD, psilocybin, and MDMA, when used alongside behavioral therapy, can help people with difficult-to-treat mental disorders. In a 2014 pilot study, twelve participants with life-threatening illnesses who received two doses of LSD saw their average anxiety levels decrease by over 75 percent at two months, with improvement lasting 12 months. An observational pilot study found that half of enrolled patients stopped using opioids 30 days after one dose of ibogaine. The FDA granted breakthrough therapy status to MDMA for severe PTSD in 2017 and to psilocybin for treatment-resistant depression in 2018, expediting their review. Researchers caution that results may be inflated by self-selection bias and that psychedelics carry risks including high blood pressure, flashbacks, and potential misuse.