The CAnadian Network for Psychedelic-Assisted Cancer Therapy (CAN-PACT): A Multi-Phase Program Overview.
Linda E Carlson, Harriet Richardson, Ron Shore, Christopher P Albertyn, Lynda G Balneaves, Alan Bates, Margot Burnell, Harvey Max Chochinov, David Clements, Julie Deleemans, Hilary Horlock, Jean Mathews, Michael Mckenzie, Chantal Savard, Claudio N Soares, Wei Tu, Monnica Williams
Current oncology (Toronto, Ont.) December 22, 2025 DOI: 10.3390/curroncol33010007 via PubMed
Summary
AI-generated from the abstractThe CAnadian Network for Psychedelic-Assisted Cancer Therapy (CAN-PACT), launched in 2025, aims to address demoralization syndrome and psychosocial distress in Canadians with cancer. The network has six objectives: building a national interdisciplinary network, setting research priorities through stakeholder engagement, developing training for clinicians and researchers, pilot-testing intervention procedures, conducting a multi-center randomized controlled trial of psychedelic-assisted therapy (PAT) for advanced cancer, and informing healthcare policy. CAN-PACT seeks to generate Canadian evidence and prepare the oncology system for equitable access to safe, evidence-based PAT in publicly funded cancer centers.
Study at a glance
| Characteristics | Research program overview Randomized Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | Meditation Psilocybin |
| Keywords | Cancer Clinical trials Demoralization Patient-oriented research |
| Citations | 1 |
| Key finding | CAN-PACT was launched to address gaps in supportive care for Canadians with cancer experiencing demoralization syndrome and related distress, with a strategy to build capacity, generate evidence, and prepare for implementation of psychedelic-assisted therapy. |
Abstract
The CAnadian Network for Psychedelic-Assisted Cancer Therapy (CAN-PACT) was launched in 2025 to address urgent gaps in supportive care for Canadians with cancer experiencing demoralization syndrome (loss of meaning, dysphoria, disheartenment, helplessness, a sense of failure) and related psychosocial distress. CAN-PACT has six major objectives: (1) to develop a national interdisciplinary research and practice network; (2) to set research priorities through structured stakeholder engagement; (3) to develop and provide PAT training and education for clinicians, researchers, and patients; (4) to pilot test the feasibility of intervention and assessment procedures; (5) to conduct a multi-center, randomized controlled trial of PAT for people with advanced cancer; and (6) to inform and influence healthcare policy on PAT in Canada. We discuss the background and need for PAT in cancer, describe challenges currently limiting its use, and outline CAN-PACT's strategy for building capacity, generating Canadian evidence, and preparing the oncology healthcare environment for potential implementation. This manuscript presents a summary overview of CAN-PACT as a multi-objective research program; detailed protocols for each discrete study component will be published separately as the research program progresses. Through environmental scans, national engagement, targeted training, rigorous research, and ongoing collaboration with policymakers, CAN-PACT aims to enable equitable access to safe, evidence-based PAT for people with advanced cancer in Canada's publicly funded cancer centers.