An Agenda of Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy Research in Seriously Ill Patients: Highlights from the Harvard Radcliffe Institute Exploratory Seminar (FR405)

Abstract

•Describe psychedelic-assisted therapies content and delivery in seriously ill patients.•Identify and examine research priorities and agenda for psychedelic-assisted therapies in seriously ill patients, as collectively defined by experts from different fields of serious illness care.•Evaluate and discuss the implications of developing a psychedelic-assisted therapies research field integrated into the psychosocial and palliative care landscape. Seriously ill patients commonly experience burdensome physical and psychological symptoms and express existential and spiritual distress. In advanced cancer populations, major depression affects 13% to 26% of patients, and increases morbidity, hastened-death requests, and healthcare use (Breitbart et al., 2000; Wilson et al., 2007). More than 50% of cancer patients receive daily anxiolytics (Masman et al., 2015). In one study, 44% of patients reported spiritual pain during admission to a palliative care unit (n= 282), which correlated with higher physical and psychological distress (Delgado-Guay et al., 2016). Despite significant advancements in psychosocial and palliative care, the efficacy of pharmacological, psychotherapeutic, and spiritual care interventions remains limited in addressing this suffering. Recently, clinical research assessing the effects of psychedelic-assisted therapies has resumed, spurring interest among psychosocial and palliative care providers (Back, 2018; Byock, 2018). Recent phase 2 studies demonstrate safety and efficacy of psychedelic-assisted therapies for the treatment of anxiety, depression, and existential distress in seriously ill patients (Griffiths et al., 2016; Grob et al., 2011; Ross et al., 2016). Future studies should confirm these findings and build on extant evidence and best practices in seriously ill patients' care. We received a grant to convene researchers with expertise in palliative care, psychosocial oncology, spiritual care, oncology, and psychedelic-assisted therapies for a 2-day seminar at the Harvard Radcliffe Institute. Our goal is to collectively define priorities and an agenda for future psychedelic-assisted therapies research in seriously ill patients. This seminar will further the findings of a qualitative study presented in a concurrent session at AAHPM-HPNA 2019. In this session, we will present specific features of psychedelic-assisted therapies content and delivery, expose highlights from the Harvard Radcliffe seminar, and facilitate an open discussion between attendees and a multidisciplinary panel constituted by experts who participated to the Radcliffe seminar.