Psychedelic Therapy: A Primer for Primary Care Clinicians – Part VIII. The Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats of Psychedelic Therapeutics
Owen S. Muir, Kenneth Shinozuka, Bryce D. Beutler, Alejandro Arenas, Kirsten Cherian, Viviana D. Evans, Chelsey Fasano, Burton J. Tabaac
December 27, 2023 preprint DOI: 10.31234/osf.io/gcbxq via OpenAlex
Summary
AI-generated from the abstractPsychedelic compounds may offer more potent and rapidly-acting treatments for psychiatric conditions compared to traditional small-molecule drugs, which often have limited effect sizes and adverse effects. Only one such compound, esketamine, is currently FDA-approved for depression; the others remain investigational. This article reviews six psychedelic compounds using a strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT) framework to assess their potential role in medicine.
Study at a glance
| Characteristics | Review |
|---|---|
| Keywords | Strengths and weaknesses Swot analysis Alternative medicine Variety cybernetics Primary care |
| Key finding | Psychedelic medicines may provide more potent and rapidly-acting treatments for psychiatric conditions than existing small-molecule drugs, but only esketamine is currently FDA-approved. |
Abstract
The reviews in this special edition have presented a primer on the state of the literature for six different psychedelic compounds and their plausible role in medicine. In a common format underscoring strengths, weakness, opportunities, and threats (SWOT), this article addresses how psychedelic compounds fit into the broader healthcare landscape for indicated conditions. Historically, psychiatric pathologies have been treated with small-molecule compounds that have limited effect sizes and carry a variety of adverse effect profiles. Psychedelic medicines offer the opportunity to provide more potent and rapidly-acting treatments. It is crucial to note this is an emerging field of medicine, and only one of these compounds (esketamine) is currently FDA-approved for depression. The other compounds discussed are investigational, and this discussion is both imaginative and prospective in nature.