Recent developments involving psychedelics

Early research into psychedelic substances like LSD and psilocybin for treating psychiatric disorders, including substance use disorders, relied on case studies and clinical trials that lacked modern standards such as adequate controls or participant follow-up. The 1971 Convention on Psychotropic Substances placed most known psychedelics under international control. Around that time, newer medications, particularly selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), emerged with proven efficacy and safety for depression, PTSD, and other mental health conditions.

Study at a glance

Abstract

The therapeutic use of psychedelic substances such as LSD and psilocybin has been researched by psychologists and psychiatrists for a range of psychiatric disorders, including substance use disorders. Most of the early research around the therapeutic use of psychedelics was based on case studies or clinical trials that did not meet the contemporary standards of randomized clinical trials, e.g. with adequate controls or follow-up of the study participants. With the signing of the Convention on Psychotropic Substances in 1971, most of the known psychedelic substances at the time came under international control. However, around the same time, newer medications for the treatment of depression, PTSD and other mental health disorders appeared on the market. The main group of those medications was known as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), which had proven efficacy and safety in the treatment of complex mental health disorders.