From Altered States to Altered Trajectories and From Molecules to Meaning: A Network Meta Analysis Mapping Comparative Efficacy of Psychedelic Assisted Therapies in Modern Psychiatry
BJPsych Open June 1, 2026 Gaurav Uppal, Naima Gul, Asha Dhandapani et al.
Psychedelic-assisted therapies, particularly psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy, are more effective than control treatments (pharmacological, active placebo, and waitlist) for mood, trauma-related, and substance use disorders. A network meta-analysis of six randomized controlled trials found that psilocybin at high doses outperformed low doses, and psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy ranked highest among all treatments examined. MDMA-assisted psychotherapy and ketamine-assisted therapy also ranked higher than control conditions. The pooled summary effect favoring psychedelic-assisted therapy was large and statistically significant (−0.89, 95% CI: −1.07 to −0.72). These findings support the therapeutic potential of these treatments and highlight the need for more direct comparative trials.