Knowledge gaps in psychedelic medicalisation: Clinical studies and regulatory aspects.
Neurosci Appl January 11, 2024 Drummond E-Wen McCulloch, Matthias E. Liechti, Kim PC. Kuypers et al. 10 citations
Psychedelic drugs like psilocybin and LSD are being tested in clinical trials for psychiatric and neurological conditions, with phase 2 studies showing particular promise for depression. At a 2023 European College of Neuropsychopharmacology meeting, experts identified key knowledge gaps that need addressing for successful medical implementation. These include understanding how these drugs work in the body (pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics), comparing different psychedelics, exploring the link between the duration of subjective effects and therapeutic outcomes, studying polypharmacology, and assessing the role of psychological support. The article also presents perspectives from the European Medicines Agency and Health Technology Assessors on what is most needed for medical adoption in Europe.