PSilocybin for psYCHological and existential distress in PALliative care (PSYCHED-PAL): A single arm unblinded clinical trial
Palliative Medicine January 30, 2026 James Downar, Julie Lapenskie, Koby Anderson et al.
A 3-week microdose psilocybin regimen (1 mg daily, increasing to 3 mg) was safe and feasible for adults with advanced, incurable illness and severe psychological distress. Among 13 participants who completed the trial, 69% reported meaningful global improvement, 62% showed more than 50% improvement in depression scores, and 72% reported meaningful improvement in demoralization. No serious adverse events occurred; four participants withdrew due to disease progression or poor response. The findings suggest microdose psilocybin may be a potentially efficacious treatment for psychological distress near the end of life.