Psychedelics and the treatment of eating disorders: considerations for future research and practice.

Psychedelic-assisted therapies show promise for severe psychiatric illnesses, and interest is growing in their use for eating disorders. To proceed safely and rigorously, the field must address critical risks, ethical considerations, and methodological aspects in trial design. The authors provide provisional guidelines for clinical research trials to protect participants and maximize methodological rigor.

Study at a glance

Abstract

Recent trials have shown promising results for the use of psychedelic-assisted therapies in treating severe refractory psychiatric illnesses, and there has been growing interest in examining the effectiveness of these therapies in treating eating disorders. To move forward in a safe, ethically sound, and scientifically rigorous manner, the field must address critical considerations. In this Comment article, we outline important risks and ethical considerations, along with methodological aspects that require careful consideration in the design of psychedelic-assisted therapy trials. We conclude by providing provisional guidelines for clinical research trials to help shape the future of this work, with the aim of investigating and employing the use of psychedelics for treating eating disorders in a manner that protects clients and research participants while maximizing methodological rigour.