International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
August 2, 2021
Lisa Reynolds, Amelia Akroyd, Frederick Sundram et al.
33 citations
Cancer healthcare professionals—doctors, nurses, psychologists, and social workers—show openness to psychedelic-assisted therapy for advanced cancer patients, driven by a desire to alleviate suffering and a lack of effective current treatments. However, this openness is tempered by concerns about patient safety and the need for rigorous, well-designed trials. The study identified four themes: beneficence (alleviating suffering), non-maleficence (keeping vulnerable patients safe), viewing psychedelic-assisted therapy as a transformative approach with real potential, and recognizing that new frontiers carry risks. These findings offer a foundation for engaging healthcare professionals in future research and clinical applications.
Trials
April 23, 2021
Robin J. Murphy, Rachael L. Sumner, William J. Evans et al.
23 citations
A proposed study will test whether regular low doses of LSD, known as microdosing, produce the cognitive and emotional benefits reported anecdotally. Eighty healthy men will receive either a placebo or 10 micrograms of LSD every third day for six weeks. The study will measure personality, creativity, mood, cognition, brain plasticity, and brain imaging at baseline and after the protocol, with additional acute measures after the first dose. Daily functioning will be tracked via questionnaires and a wearable device. The goal is to rigorously evaluate microdosing claims using objective measures, with potential future applications for treating depression, addiction, and other conditions.
Palliative & Supportive Care
November 3, 2022
Lisa Reynolds, Brian S. Barnett, Jeremy Weleff et al.
19 citations
Cancer health-care practitioners in New Zealand and the USA perceive psychedelic-assisted therapy as potentially beneficial for cancer patients, especially those with advanced disease no longer receiving curative treatment. They consider research in this area important and express willingness to refer patients to trials, though they emphasize that work should incorporate spiritual and indigenous perspectives of health. US practitioners had greater awareness of psychedelics, while New Zealand practitioners more strongly believed that spiritual and indigenous factors should be considered. The findings suggest that practitioners may be more open to studies beginning in palliative and end-of-life contexts.
Neuropharmacology
November 5, 2025
Dimitri Daldegan‐bueno, C Donegan, Rachael L. Sumner et al.
4 citations
In an open-label phase 2A trial, 19 participants with major depressive disorder, most of whom were taking antidepressants, took microdoses of LSD twice weekly for eight weeks. No serious adverse events occurred, and one participant withdrew due to anxiety. Depression scores on the Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale dropped by 59.5% at the end of the intervention, with improvements sustained for up to six months. Anxiety, rumination, stress, and quality of life also improved. The results provide preliminary evidence that microdosed LSD is safe and feasible for treating moderate depression, but randomized controlled trials are needed.
Journal of Humanistic Psychology
November 10, 2025
Robin J. Murphy, Mia Wardlaw, Thomas A. Smith et al.
After a six-week double-blind placebo-controlled trial of 10 µg of lysergic acid diethylamide taken every third day, healthy male participants reported changes in emotions, mood, social life, mindfulness, cognition, work, creativity, and physiological effects. Openness to experience and bidirectionality of effects were overarching themes. Some reported changes have potential clinical relevance for mood disorders, and reports of changes in anxiety suggest careful patient and dose selection. Participants' experiences with set and setting, uncertainty from placebo control, and perceived bidirectionality of effects inform psychedelic clinical trial design.
The International Journal of Neuropsychopharmacology
August 1, 2025
C Donegan, D Daldagen-Bueno, Robin J. Murphy et al.
In an open label trial, 17 people with major depressive disorder took 15 doses of LSD at home and one in a clinic over 8 weeks. Afterward, participants reported increased connectedness to self, others, and nature; greater motivation for activities; improved mood; and better coping with negative situations. Some experienced side effects or no change in symptoms. The findings suggest that microdosing LSD may create a positive feedback loop where improved mood, behavioral activation, and connectedness reinforce each other, and that adding a titration protocol and encouraging psychologically beneficial activities could enhance benefits and reduce side effects.