@article{de:2024:10.1038/s41598-024-66817-0,
author = {de, la Salle S and Kettner, H and Thibault, Lévesque J and Garel, N and Dames, S and Patchett-Marble, R and Rej, S and Gloeckler, S and Erritzoe, D and Carhart-Harris, R and Greenway, KT},
doi = {10.1038/s41598-024-66817-0},
journal = {Sci Rep},
title = {Longitudinal experiences of Canadians receiving compassionate access to psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy.},
url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-66817-0},
volume = {14},
year = {2024}
}

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TY  - JOUR
AB  - Recent clinical trials have found that the serotonergic psychedelic psilocybin effectively alleviates anxiodepressive symptoms in patients with life-threatening illnesses when given in a supportive environment. These outcomes prompted Canada to establish legal pathways for therapeutic access to psilocybin, coupled with psychological support. Despite over one-hundred Canadians receiving compassionate access since 2020, there has been little examination of these 'real-world' patients. We conducted a prospective longitudinal survey which focused on Canadians who were granted Section 56 exemptions for legal psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy. Surveys assessing various symptom dimensions were conducted at baseline, two weeks following the session (endpoint), and optionally one day post-session. Participant characteristics were examined using descriptive statistics, and paired sample t-tests were used to quantify changes from baseline to the two-week post-treatment endpoint. Eight participants with Section 56 exemptions (four females, Mage = 52.3 years), all with cancer diagnoses, fully completed baseline and endpoint surveys. Significant improvements in anxiety and depression symptoms, pain, fear of COVID-19, quality of life, and spiritual well-being were observed. Attitudes towards death, medical assistance in dying, and desire for hastened death remained unchanged. While most participants found the psilocybin sessions highly meaningful, if challenging, one reported a substantial decrease in well-being due to the experience. These preliminary data are amongst the first to suggest that psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy can produce psychiatric benefits in real-world patients akin to those observed in clinical trials. Limited enrollment and individual reports of negative experiences indicate the need for formal real-world evaluation programs to surveil the ongoing expansion of legal access to psychedelics.
AU  - de,la Salle S
AU  - Kettner,H
AU  - Thibault,Lévesque J
AU  - Garel,N
AU  - Dames,S
AU  - Patchett-Marble,R
AU  - Rej,S
AU  - Gloeckler,S
AU  - Erritzoe,D
AU  - Carhart-Harris,R
AU  - Greenway,KT
DO  - 10.1038/s41598-024-66817-0
PY  - 2024///
TI  - Longitudinal experiences of Canadians receiving compassionate access to psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy.
T2  - Sci Rep
UR  - http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-66817-0
UR  - https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/39019922
VL  - 14
ER  - 

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