Exploring U.K. cancer doctors’ attitudes toward psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy for cancer-related distress
Research Square September 18, 2024 Shane Mageean, Anderson Daniel, Sara Tai
Cancer patients often suffer significant psychological distress, and current treatments often fall short. Psilocybin combined with psychotherapy may help, but oncologists, who are key gatekeepers to patient care, have not been well studied. Interviews with nine oncologists in England revealed five themes: their current approaches to distress, attitudes toward psychedelics, the need for quality research, service design, and distress across different patient backgrounds. Oncologists are open to psilocybin-assisted therapy but have concerns about safety and drug interactions with cancer treatments. Future research should explore these issues and include diverse patient groups.