Psychedelic medicine (New Rochelle, N.Y.)
March 1, 2024
Brian S Barnett, Miranda Arakelian, David Beebe et al.
28 citations
A repeat survey of American psychiatrists in 2022-23 found a striking increase in optimism about the therapeutic use of hallucinogens compared to 2016. Among 131 respondents (13.1% response rate), 80.9% moderately or strongly believed hallucinogens show promise for psychiatric conditions, and 60.8% for substance use disorders. Large majorities supported research into therapeutic potential (93.9% for psychiatric conditions, 88.6% for substance use disorders) and federal funding of clinical trials. Concern about risks decreased, and 50.4% reported moderate or strong intentions to incorporate hallucinogen-assisted therapy into their practice if regulatory approval is granted.
Psychiatry research
June 1, 2025
Jeremy Weleff, Alejandra Pulido-Saavedra, Ardavan Mohammad Aghaei et al.
4 citations
A systematic review of clinical studies on psychedelics for opioid use disorder found few completed trials using serotonergic psychedelics; most investigated ibogaine or ketamine. The evidence is limited by weak study designs focused on opioid withdrawal, few double-blind or placebo-controlled trials, and considerable methodological heterogeneity that makes comparisons across compounds difficult. Most studies had a high risk of bias, mainly due to lack of randomization, blinding, and blinded outcome assessment. The review outlines these limitations and steps to improve the quality of future research in this area.
Journal of psychoactive drugs
July 2, 2025
Brian S Barnett, Miranda Arakelian, Jeremy Weleff et al.
2 citations
In 2023, a survey of 109 U.S. psychiatry residents found that most had limited formal education on psychedelics during training but strongly desired more instruction. 83.49% believed psychedelics hold promise for psychiatric disorders, though fewer (55.96%) saw similar potential for substance use disorders. Nearly 40% reported that psychedelic-related educational or research opportunities influenced their residency program rankings, and a similar proportion said the possibility of treating patients with psychedelics influenced their decision to pursue psychiatry. Higher knowledge scores and stronger belief in therapeutic potential were linked to greater influence on program ranking. The findings suggest a need to expand psychedelic-focused education in residency.