Psychedelics may better treat depression and anxiety symptoms than prescription antidepressants for patients with advanced cancer

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C. Michael White, University of Connecticut

(THE CONVERSATION) In people with advanced cancer, psychedelic drugs like psilocybin, LSD and MDMA may significantly reduce the severity of depression and anxiety symptoms.

Roughly 10% of patients with cancer experience anxiety, while 20% report depression. However, current research suggests that available prescription antidepressants do not significantly decrease depressive symptoms in cancer patients compared with a placebo.

My team and I recently completed a meta-analysis of five clinical trials examining anxiety and depression symptoms in patients with advanced forms of cancer and other life-threatening diseases. We found that taking psychedelic medication alone – specifically LSD, psilocybin or MDMA – reduced depression scores as measured by the Beck’s Depression Inventory by six points, where a score below 10 indicates minimal to no depression and above 30 indicates major depression. The average scores at baseline were between 15 and 18 for most studies, though one trial had a baseline of approximately 30....