Canadian Government Invests $3 Million in Psilocybin-Assisted Psychotherapy Trials

LOS ANGELES– The advancement of psychedelic medicine in Canada received a significant boost as the Minister of Mental Health and Addictions, Carolyn Bennett, announced an investment of nearly $3 million through the Canadian Institutes of Health Research. This funding will support three clinical trials exploring the potential of psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy as a treatment option for alcohol use disorder, treatment-resistant depression, and end-of-life psychological distress in advanced-stage cancer patients.

The investment is in line with the Canadian Drugs and Substances Strategy, a comprehensive and evidence-based approach implemented by the Government of Canada to address drug and substance policy. The strategy emphasizes innovative treatment methods and harm reduction. While preliminary evidence suggests therapeutic benefits of combining psychedelics with psychotherapy for certain mental health and substance use challenges, further evidence is required through randomized clinical trials.

Randomized clinical trials involve assigning eligible human research participants randomly to groups, with some receiving the intervention being studied and others not. In this case, the research focuses on psilocybin, a naturally occurring psychedelic compound found in certain mushroom species. The trials will assess the safety and effectiveness of psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy in treating specific mental health and substance use disorders.

Psilocybin is regulated by both the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act and the Food and Drugs Act in Canada. Researchers who receive funding for these clinical trials will need to obtain the necessary authorizations under both acts before commencing their studies.

The specific allocation of the funding to psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy studies and the details regarding which trial will receive the funding were not disclosed in the announcement.