Palliative Medicine
January 22, 2024
Louis Plourde, Sue-Ling Chang, Houman Farzin et al.
22 citations
A survey of 2,800 adults in four Canadian provinces found high social acceptability of psilocybin-assisted therapy for existential distress at the end of life. 79.3% considered it a reasonable medical choice, 84.8% agreed public health insurance should cover it, and 63.3% would support legalization for medical purposes. More favorable attitudes were linked to prior psilocybin use, exposure to palliative care, and progressive political orientation. The findings suggest public support is strong enough to help mobilize resources and improve access to this emerging therapy in palliative and end-of-life care.
Palliative Medicine Reports
April 17, 2025
Michel Dorval, Sue-Ling Chang, Houman Farzin et al.
3 citations
A forum in Quebec, Canada, with 57 participants including patients, healthcare professionals, researchers, and policymakers, produced 16 recommendations for expanding access to psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy in palliative care. The recommendations address patient eligibility and equity, regulatory frameworks and respect for autonomy, logistical and organizational aspects, professional education and training, public awareness and information, and research. The report suggests these recommendations could guide similar efforts in other jurisdictions facing barriers to this therapy.
Frontiers in Psychiatry
July 16, 2024
André Do, Vanessa Michaud, Jean-François Stephan et al.
3 citations
Psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy (PAP) may be safe when given alongside certain serotoninergic antidepressants, and stopping those antidepressants before treatment might not be required. In an adult with difficult-to-treat depression who took duloxetine and vortioxetine, a first PAP session with both drugs produced a partial response. After he discontinued duloxetine but kept vortioxetine, his anxiety and depression worsened. Psilocybin was well tolerated in both sessions; mild headaches were the main adverse effect, with no cardiovascular concerns. This single case suggests that combining psilocybin with serotoninergic antidepressants appears safe and that antidepressant discontinuation prior to PAP may be unnecessary, potentially improving treatment accessibility.
The Journal of Law Medicine & Ethics
January 1, 2025
Katherine Cheung, M J Brodie, Sue-Ling Chang et al.
2 citations
Physicians may hesitate to prescribe psilocybin for conditions like end-of-life anxiety and depression due to stigma and potential medical malpractice liability. This paper examines the risk of malpractice claims arising from psilocybin treatment in Canada, using exploratory vignettes to illustrate the relevance and limits of such claims. It argues that the absence of established medical standards, standardized training, and credentialing increases liability risks. More clinical trials, meta-studies, and knowledge sharing are needed to develop training programs and medical standards of practice to better realize psilocybin's potential.
Journal of Palliative Medicine
September 12, 2024
Jean-François Stephan, Sani Karam
2 citations
A patient with end-of-life distress from stage 4 astrocytoma received psilocybin-assisted therapy through a special access program and had a positive response without adverse events. Standard treatments for existential distress are often ineffective, and psilocybin-assisted therapy is rarely available, especially for patients with brain cancer. The authors argue that access to this therapy needs to be expanded urgently, as many patients with unresolved existential distress resort to medical assistance in dying without knowing about psilocybin-assisted therapy.
Healthcare
September 12, 2025
Ariane Bélanger, Sue-Ling Chang, Jean-François Stephan et al.
1 citation
A decision aid for psilocybin-assisted therapy (PAT) was developed to help patients and healthcare professionals weigh risks and benefits when considering treatment for existential distress in serious illness. The booklet, created with a multidisciplinary steering committee following international standards, covers PAT education, treatment comparisons, and personal reflection. Feedback from five patients and five healthcare professionals guided refinements to improve clarity, balance, and usability. The final version met acceptability and usability criteria, offering balanced information to support shared decision-making in palliative care.
Journal of Psychedelic Studies
January 21, 2025
Louis Plourde, Sue-Ling Chang, Houman Farzin et al.
1 citation
The debate about whether psychotherapists should personally experience non-ordinary states of consciousness during psilocybin-assisted therapy training is important because it influences treatment safety, effectiveness, and accessibility. Ethical and practical concerns about making such experience a training standard need urgent attention where psilocybin therapy is being integrated into healthcare. The authors argue that the most balanced and ethical approach is to legally allow psilocybin use for professional training but not require it.
Cahiers francophones de soins palliatifs
January 1, 2025
Angie Shen, Andréanne Côté, Pascal Lamanque et al.
Interest in psilocybin, a substance found in so-called 'magic' mushrooms, is experiencing a marked resurgence in psychiatry and palliative care. Well-studied in the 1950s and 1960s, it fell into obscurity with the prohibition of drugs and the decline of counterculture in the 1970s. Today, its return raises questions about its potential in palliative care, possible beneficiaries, and modalities of access for patients, prompting reflection on the implications of its use in the contemporary context of palliative care.