World Psychiatry
January 14, 2023
Oliver Howes, Luke Baxter
16 citations
Between 2011 and 2021, the FDA approved only 12 new drugs in psychiatry, compared to 50 in neurology and 135 in oncology, highlighting a deadlock in psychiatric drug development. Challenges include high placebo response rates in clinical trials, which necessitate large, expensive, multi-site studies that may worsen the problem, and the withdrawal of major pharmaceutical companies from the field. Most drugs in development target existing mechanisms rather than novel ones. Potential solutions include using fewer, higher-quality trial sites, digital technologies for standardization, and smart trial designs. Attracting new companies requires sustained investment in translational research, government and charitable funding, pre-competitive partnerships, and incentives like tax breaks. Advancing understanding of neurobiology and developing biomarkers are essential for creating mechanistically distinct treatments.
British journal of pharmacology
October 28, 2024
Laith Alexander, Dasha Anderson, Luke Baxter et al.
11 citations
Psychedelic drugs are being investigated as a new class of rapid-acting antidepressants, but their mechanisms remain unclear—specifically whether antidepressant and psychedelic effects arise from related or independent processes. This review examines behavioral methods used in animal studies to measure both the psychedelic and antidepressant effects of these drugs. It highlights conceptual and methodological challenges, stresses the importance of using doses comparable to those in human clinical use, and calls for attention to potential sex differences in preclinical research. Understanding these mechanisms could help identify new drug targets and improve treatments.
Journal of psychopharmacology (Oxford, England)
August 1, 2024
Luke Baxter, Cheneal Puljević, Tim Piatkowski et al.
3 citations
Among 3,340 first-time LSD users surveyed internationally, nearly all (97.7%) found the experience exciting, and adverse side effects were rare; only 17 individuals required emergency medical treatment. Although 64.1% reported feelings of fear, these were typically very mild and did not deter most from wanting to use LSD again. The authors conclude that while the recreational LSD experience is generally pleasurable and unwanted effects are uncommon, harm-reduction education remains important to prevent possible risks amid rising illicit use.