Scientific article
OA Policy
English

Top ten tips palliative care clinicians should know about psychedelic-assisted therapy in the context of serious illness

Published inJournal of palliative medicine, vol. 25, no. 8, p. 1273-1281
Publication date2022-08-01
Abstract

Psychedelic-assisted therapy (PAT) is a burgeoning treatment with growing interest across a variety of settings and disciplines. Empirical evidence supports PAT as a novel therapeutic approach that provides safe and effective treatment for people suffering from a variety of diagnoses, including treatment-resistant depression, substance use disorder, and post-traumatic stress disorder. Within the palliative care (PC) field, one-time PAT dosing may lead to sustained reductions in anxiety, depression, and demoralization-symptoms that diminish the quality of life in both seriously ill patients and those at end of life. Despite a well-noted psychedelic renaissance in scholarship and a renewed public interest in the utilization of these medicines, serious illness-specific content to guide PAT applications in hospice and PC clinical settings has been limited. This article offers 10 evidence-informed tips for PC clinicians synthesized through consultation with interdisciplinary and international leading experts in the field with aims to: (1) familiarize PC clinicians and teams with PAT; (2) identify the unique challenges pertaining to this intervention given the current legalities and logistical barriers; (3) discuss therapeutic competencies and considerations for current and future PAT use in PC; and (4) highlight critical approaches to optimize the safety and potential benefits of PAT among patients with serious illness and their caregivers.

Keywords
  • LSD
  • MDMA
  • Anxiety treatment
  • Demoralization
  • Depression
  • Palliative care
  • Psilocybin
  • Psychedelic-assisted therapy
  • Psychedelics
  • Serious illness
Citation (ISO format)
ROSA, William E. et al. Top ten tips palliative care clinicians should know about psychedelic-assisted therapy in the context of serious illness. In: Journal of palliative medicine, 2022, vol. 25, n° 8, p. 1273–1281. doi: 10.1089/jpm.2022.0036
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Journal ISSN1557-7740
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