Scientific Reports (Jul 2024)

Longitudinal experiences of Canadians receiving compassionate access to psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy

  • Sara de la Salle,
  • Hannes Kettner,
  • Julien Thibault Lévesque,
  • Nicolas Garel,
  • Shannon Dames,
  • Ryan Patchett-Marble,
  • Soham Rej,
  • Sara Gloeckler,
  • David Erritzoe,
  • Robin Carhart-Harris,
  • Kyle T. Greenway

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-66817-0
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 14, no. 1
pp. 1 – 15

Abstract

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Abstract 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.

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