How psychedelics could address unmet need in mental health

[Image courtesy of Pixabay]

Interest in the therapeutic potential of psychedelics is booming, given their therapeutic potential for treating depression and other conditions. It is telling that psychedelics were among the hottest topics at the World Economic Forum (WEF) meeting this year in Davos, Switzerland, prompting mockery from late-night comics. 

Although the field remains embryonic, part of the reason for the recent interest in psychedelics is their potential to address difficult-to-treat mental health conditions. For example, research such as the U.S. government-backed Sequenced Treatment Alternatives to Relieve Depression (STAR*D) study “showed us that our available medications are not as effective as we’d hoped they would be,” said Dr. John Krystal, chair of the department of psychiatry at Yale University, in a recent webinar from Cybin (Toronto, Canada). For depressed who respond to s…

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