Cancer
December 18, 2023
Manish Agrawal, Yvan Beaussant, Sarah Shnayder et al.
73 citations
A single 25-mg dose of psilocybin, administered alongside one-to-one and group therapeutic support, was safe and feasible for patients with curable and noncurable cancer who also had major depressive disorder. In a phase 2 open-label trial with 30 participants, no serious adverse events or suicidality occurred, and mild side effects like nausea and headache were as expected. Depression severity scores dropped by an average of 19.1 points from baseline to eight weeks after treatment. Eighty percent of participants showed a sustained response, and half achieved full remission of depressive symptoms by week one that lasted for eight weeks. The group-oriented format and compact delivery in a community cancer center may add to therapeutic gains.
Journal of Psychoactive Drugs
August 19, 2021
Brian S. Barnett, Yvan Beaussant, Franklin King et al.
64 citations
Psychiatrists attending psychedelic didactic presentations at two national meetings largely believe psychedelics show treatment promise and strongly support federal funding for medicinal psychedelic research. The most common concerns were lack of trained providers, logistics of therapy delivery, administration for patients with contraindications, and diversion. Desired educational topics included potential benefits, how to conduct therapy, pharmacology, and side effects. Factors associated with increased belief in treatment potential included working primarily in research, higher psychedelic knowledge test scores, and less concern about addictive potential. Support for legalization of non-medicinal use was negatively associated with age and positively associated with support for medicinal legalization.
Journal of Pain and Symptom Management
February 11, 2022
Lucas Oliveira Maia, Yvan Beaussant, Ana Cláudia Mesquita Garcia
59 citations
No Summary
Journal of palliative medicine
August 1, 2022
William E Rosa, Zachary Sager, Megan Miller et al.
49 citations
Psychedelic-assisted therapy (PAT) is a promising treatment for conditions like treatment-resistant depression, substance use disorder, and PTSD. In palliative care, a single PAT session can produce lasting reductions in anxiety, depression, and demoralization—symptoms that harm quality of life for seriously ill and end-of-life patients. Although interest in psychedelics has revived, few resources exist for applying PAT in hospice and palliative care. This article provides 10 evidence-informed tips for palliative care clinicians, developed with international experts, to help familiarize teams with PAT, address legal and logistical barriers, discuss therapeutic competencies, and highlight approaches to maximize safety and benefits for patients and caregivers.
Journal of Palliative Medicine
April 1, 2020
Yvan Beaussant, Justin J. Sanders, Zachary Sager et al.
39 citations
Experts in serious illness care and psychedelic research hold polarized views on psychedelic-assisted therapies for patients with serious illness, ranging from strong support for medical utility to reluctance due to risks such as delirium or worsening psychological distress. Research priorities focus on patients with clinically diagnosed psychosocial distress like depression, anxiety, or demoralization, though some roles extend beyond traditional medical diagnosis. Essential safety and efficacy guidelines are needed for integrating these therapies into existing care models. The study proposes a conceptual framework for such integration based on interviews with 17 experts from the United States and Canada.
Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews
September 11, 2024
Sivan Schipper, Kabir Nigam, Yasmin Schmid et al.
34 citations
Psychedelic-assisted therapy using psilocybin or LSD may help treat anxiety, depression, and existential distress in people with life-threatening diseases, and appears well tolerated with no serious adverse events reported in reviewed studies. However, the evidence is low to very low certainty, meaning results are uncertain and could change with future research. As of 2024, these drugs remain illegal in many countries. Blinding issues and small sample sizes limit confidence; more rigorous studies with active placebos and larger samples are needed. Research is restricted in the US due to Schedule I classification but is increasing.
Journal of Psychopharmacology
January 1, 2024
Lisa Bouchet, Zachary Sager, Antoine Yrondi et al.
22 citations
Older adults (65+) account for less than 1.4% of participants in psychedelic clinical trials, despite these compounds showing potential for conditions common in this age group, such as depression, anxiety, and existential distress. A systematic review of 36 trials involving 1,400 patients found only 19 were aged 65 or older. Safety data for 10 of these older adults showed no serious adverse events; only transient mild-to-moderate effects like anxiety, gastrointestinal upset, and hypertension occurred during dosing sessions. The authors conclude that psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy appears safe and well tolerated in older adults and warrants more rigorous investigation for psychiatric treatment in this population.
Cancer
December 18, 2023
Yvan Beaussant, Kabir Nigam, Zachary Sager et al.
22 citations
Patients with cancer and depression who received psilocybin-assisted therapy in a group setting found the approach generally acceptable. The group sessions increased their sense of safety and preparedness, fostered connection and belonging, and deepened the meaning of their experience, opening dimensions of self-transcendence and compassion. Key factors influencing acceptability included the therapeutic framework, the complementary role of individual sessions, and group size and structure. The findings suggest that combining group and individual sessions may enhance perceived safety and efficacy compared to either format alone, offering a scalable model for integrating psilocybin-assisted therapy into cancer care.
Journal of palliative medicine
January 22, 2025
Roxanne Sholevar, William Kromka, Yvan Beaussant
10 citations
In patients with serious medical illness, ketamine may produce rapid but temporary improvements in psychiatric symptoms such as depression and anxiety, according to a review of nine studies and twelve case reports. The evidence is limited by wide variation in patient groups, treatment settings, dosing, and whether psychotherapy was included. Most reports examined ketamine as a drug alone, not ketamine-assisted psychotherapy (KAP). There is little research on KAP for existential distress, though the findings hint that ketamine used within a psychedelic therapy model could offer advantages over traditional psychedelics. Current treatments for psychiatric and existential distress in palliative care are often ineffective or poorly tolerated.
Palliative & supportive care
December 1, 2023
Roxanne Sholevar, John Peteet, Justin Sanders et al.
9 citations
Experts in serious illness care and psychedelic-assisted therapy (PAT) hold divergent views on PAT's therapeutic potential and safety for patients with serious illness. Five factors shape their attitudes: perception of unmet need, knowledge of empirical studies, personal psychedelic experience, professional background, and age or generation. An overarching theme is PAT's disruptive potential at four levels: the patient's experience of self, illness, and death; relationships with loved ones and healthcare providers; existing clinical models; and societal attitudes toward death. Whether this disruption is seen as a therapeutic opportunity or an undue risk determines the level of support. These points of disruption raise practical and philosophical considerations for integrating PAT into serious illness care.
Psychedelic medicine (New Rochelle, N.Y.)
September 1, 2023
Megan Miller, William E Rosa, Alden Doerner Rinaldi et al.
9 citations
Psychedelic-assisted therapy (PAT) and hospice/palliative care share deep synergies that could help integrate PAT into mainstream health systems. Hospice and palliative care, though now evidence-based standards, began as grassroots movements. Their holistic, interdisciplinary, relationship-centered, and spiritually attuned models offer practical lessons for scaling human-centered PAT. Key aspects include interdisciplinary care, holistic views of health, bearing witness to suffering, customized care, decentralized models, generalist/specialist competencies, fostering spirituality, and growth from community organizations to mature systems. Conversely, PAT's radical emphasis on meaning-making and relationship may also innovate hospice and palliative care.
General hospital psychiatry
January 1, 2025
Yvan Beaussant, Elise Tarbi, Kabir Nigam et al.
3 citations
Psilocybin-assisted therapy (PAT) is promising for cancer-related depression, but little is known about how the therapeutic context affects patient experiences. In interviews with 28 patients with cancer and depression who participated in a clinical trial, participants described the psilocybin experience as intense and demanding. Therapeutic benefits were closely tied to their ability to "surrender"—accepting and remaining open to the experience's intensity and unpredictability. A safe, supportive, and ethical environment was critical for trust and engagement. Preparation and integration were key to maximizing benefit. Music played a variable role, sometimes enhancing and other times distracting. The clinical setting provided safety, while ceremonial elements added meaning.
Clinics in geriatric medicine
August 1, 2023
Kabir Nigam, Kimberly A Curseen, Yvan Beaussant
3 citations
Psychedelic-assisted therapy effectively treats the multidimensional psychological distress common at the end of life, which includes psychosocial, existential, and physical symptom burdens. Ketamine and cannabis may provide rapid relief for symptom burden. More data is needed, especially in elderly populations.
BMJ Supportive & Palliative Care
November 3, 2025
Yvan Beaussant, Zachary Sager, Caitlin W. Brennan et al.
1 citation
A single 25 mg dose of psilocybin, combined with preparation and integration sessions, was safely administered to ten terminally ill home hospice patients. No serious adverse events occurred. Demoralization scores dropped by an average of 8.8 points three weeks after the session, despite patients' ongoing physical decline. Grief and peace themes were common during the drug sessions. Although most participants rated the treatment favorably, some found the emotional intensity challenging. The results suggest that psilocybin-assisted therapy can be feasibly and safely integrated into hospice care, but larger studies are needed to confirm its benefits.
Psychedelic Medicine
October 8, 2025
Elise C. Tarbi, Skye A. Miner, Kabir Nigam et al.
1 citation
Patients with cancer and depression describe their cancer experience as deepening their awareness of mortality and prompting them to reprioritize relationships and efforts. In a trial of psilocybin-assisted group therapy, participants sought not only relief from depression but also a new perspective on existential worries and spiritual resources. After treatment, they reported lasting effects including an enhanced sense of meaning, agency, aliveness, and connectedness, describing the experience as a healing, unfolding transformation. The findings illuminate how psilocybin-assisted therapy may address existential suffering and foster personal growth in this population.
European Psychiatry
April 1, 2024
N. Kabir, B. Anderson, Lisa Bouchet et al.
1 citation
Older adults are severely underrepresented in clinical trials of psychedelic-assisted therapies. A systematic review of 36 studies with 1,400 patients found that only 19 participants were aged 65 or older, less than 1.4% of the total. Detailed safety data for 10 of these older adults showed no serious adverse events; only mild-to-moderate side effects such as anxiety, gastrointestinal upset, and hypertension occurred during dosing sessions. The evidence, though limited, suggests that psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy is safe and well tolerated in older adults and should be more rigorously studied for treating psychiatric conditions in this population.
May 1, 2025
Jessi Humphreys, Lou Lukas, Yvan Beaussant et al.
Psilocybin, a psychoactive compound from over 200 mushroom species, has a long history in Indigenous sacred rituals. It binds to serotonin receptors, activating the serotonergic system to promote neuroplasticity, which helps individuals derive meaning from psychedelic experiences. Evidence suggests benefits for major depressive disorder, anxiety disorders, existential suffering, and substance use disorders. Dosing ranges from low psycholytic to high psychoactive levels. While physiological harm to humans appears low, further research is needed on cardiac and neurological safety in diverse and vulnerable groups. Legal access is expanding through decriminalization, legalization, and right-to-try approaches, varying by region.
Psychedelic Intersections
January 17, 2025
Candace Oglesby, Yvan Beaussant
BIPOC therapists face unique challenges and barriers to entering the psychedelic therapy field, according to a qualitative study. The research was sparked when a therapist of color was the only non-white clinician on a psilocybin-assisted therapy trial for depression in cancer patients, which also had few patients of color. The study aimed to fill a research gap by examining these experiences, potentially supporting BIPOC clinicians in the field.