Division of Psychiatry, Department of Brain Sciences, Imperial College London, The Commonwealth Building, Du Cane Road, London, W12 0NN, United Kingdom.
2 papers in the library · 16 citations · publishing 2023-2025
A framework called Access, Reciprocity and Conduct (ARC) is proposed to build an ethical and equitable infrastructure for psychedelic-assisted therapy (PAT). ARC rests on three pillars: ensuring equal access to PAT for those needing mental health treatment, promoting safety for those delivering and receiving therapy, and respecting traditional and spiritual uses of psychedelic medicines. The framework is being developed through a dual-phase co-design approach, first co-creating ethics statements with stakeholders from research, industry, therapy, community, and Indigenous settings, then inviting broader collaborative review. The authors aim to spark dialogue and help organizations and practitioners address complex ethical questions in PAT.
In an open-label feasibility study, 14 adults with alcohol use disorder who had recently completed detoxification underwent an eight-week course of ten psychotherapy sessions, including two sessions with MDMA. Bayesian analysis estimated a 55%–63% probability of a two-level reduction in World Health Organization drinking risk three months after treatment. Preliminary findings also indicated reductions in alcohol craving and improvements in sleep and aspects of psychosocial functioning at the three-month follow-up compared to baseline. The results provide initial insights into MDMA-assisted psychotherapy's potential to improve quality of life and well-being beyond reducing drinking.