Nature medicine
October 1, 2023
Jennifer M. Mitchell, Marcela Ot’alora G., Bessel Van der Kolk et al.
400 citations
In a phase 3 trial, MDMA-assisted therapy reduced PTSD symptoms and functional impairment more than placebo with therapy in 104 participants with moderate to severe PTSD. The average decrease in PTSD symptom severity was 23.7 points with MDMA-assisted therapy versus 14.8 points with placebo, and functional disability improved by 3.3 versus 2.1 points. Participants were ethnoracially diverse, with 27% identifying as Hispanic/Latino and 34% as other than White. Severe side effects occurred in 9.4% of the MDMA group and 3.9% of the placebo group; no deaths or serious adverse events were reported. The treatment was generally well tolerated.
JAMA network open
June 3, 2024
Amy L McGuire, I Glenn Cohen, Dominic Sisti et al.
41 citations
A consensus statement from a 2023 meeting of 27 experts identifies 20 points of consensus across five ethical issues for integrating psychedelic medicines into mainstream medical practice: reparations and reciprocity, equity, and respect; informed consent; professional boundaries and physical touch; personal experience; and gatekeeping. The meeting included clinicians, researchers, Indigenous groups, industry, philanthropy, veterans, retreat facilitators, training programs, and bioethicists. The statement focuses on government-approved medical use in the US and abroad, emphasizing that policymakers must address challenges ahead while acknowledging the hopeful moment.
Curr Top Behav Neurosci
December 10, 2024
Xiaojue Hu, Ingmar Gorman, Elizabeth Nielson
3 citations
Psychedelic Harm Reduction and Integration (PHRI) is a clinical model that combines principles from harm reduction, psychedelic-assisted therapy, mindfulness, and psychodynamic therapy to help clients prepare for and integrate psychedelic experiences without directly administering psychedelics. It uses non-pathologizing, client-empowering strategies, emphasizing non-directive and inner-directed approaches, somatic awareness, and psychological flexibility. The model addresses common integration challenges such as fear, ego dissolution, and increased emotional sensitivity, aiming to translate psychedelic experiences into lasting positive changes while reducing potential harms. The chapter outlines PHRI's theoretical foundations, distinguishes it from other approaches, and explores its clinical application, focusing on the integration phase.