Combining the psychedelic drug psilocybin with supportive psychotherapy results in substantial rapid and enduring antidepressant effects among patients with major depressive disorder, according to a new randomized clinical trial.
“Prior studies in cancer patients and in an uncontrolled clinical trial in depressed patients using psilocybin-assisted therapy showed promising results.
During two of these sessions, psilocybin doses were administered by two clinical monitors who provided guidance and reassurance.
This represents a large effect of this treatment among people with major depressive disorder, approximately 4 times larger effect compared to studies of antidepressant drugs.”.
Current studies are testing psilocybin therapy against placebo in a large multi-site trial in the U.S. and Europe,” Davis said.
It is likely the combination of psychotherapy and psilocybin that makes this treatment efficacious.
This treatment will always have a psychotherapy component and will not be approved by the FDA as a stand-alone medication,” Davis explained. »
