Psychedelics and Psychedelic-Assisted Psychotherapy
FOCUS The Journal of Lifelong Learning in Psychiatry January 1, 2021 Collin Reiff, Elon E. Richman, Charles B. Nemeroff et al. 17 citations
A review of clinical trials on psychedelic drugs for psychiatric disorders found the strongest evidence for MDMA and psilocybin, both designated by the FDA as breakthrough therapies for PTSD and treatment-resistant depression, respectively. Evidence for LSD and ayahuasca is observational but suggests potential therapeutic effects for mood, anxiety, trauma, and substance use disorders, as well as end-of-life care. Of 1,603 articles screened, 14 well-designed trials were identified. The database remains insufficient for FDA approval of any psychedelic for routine clinical use, but continued research is warranted.