The need for establishing best practices and gold standards in psychedelic medicine.
Journal of affective disorders July 1, 2023 Allison Feduccia, Gabby Agin-Liebes, Collin M Price et al. 38 citations
Psychedelic substances are being studied in drug development programs, with clinical trials showing evidence for safe and effective use of psychedelic therapies for mental health conditions. With anticipated FDA approval of MDMA-assisted therapy for PTSD in 2023 and psilocybin therapy for depression disorders soon after, the medical community should become informed on best practices and participate in developing standards of care. Gold standards in medicine distinguish treatments as the highest quality for comparison. This article reviews the origins of psychedelic-assisted therapy, minimum requirements for safe use, criteria for gold standards in mental health, and nuances in establishing gold standards in psychedelic medicine to guide clinical decision making.