Psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy (PAT) shows promise for treating PTSD, depression, and substance use disorders, with potential FDA approval of psilocybin-assisted therapy for depression by 2026. This commentary calls for implementation scientists to collaborate with PAT researchers and practitioners to bring these treatments into routine practice, especially in safety-net settings like Federally Qualified Health Centers and Veterans Affairs health systems that serve historically marginalized populations. Using the RE-AIM Framework, the authors outline how implementation science can contribute tools, methodologies, and approaches to ensure PAT is safe, effective, and accessible for underserved communities.
Clinical investigators anticipate that psychedelic medicine, including MDMA and psilocybin, could eventually fit into routine clinical care and may even improve it, despite distinct challenges. These treatments differ from existing ones in drug effects, treatment models, and broader goals. Key translational challenges include uncertainty about the role of psychotherapy, high treatment costs and scalability issues, and the effects of hype and stigma on clinical uptake. The findings are based on interviews with 21 investigators at major academic psychedelic research centers across the United States.