Insider No. 84: Psychedelic Wellness

Why it matters: As the mental health crisis and addiction epidemicintensify, psychedelics are proving to be a highly effective remedy for anxiety, depression, PTSD, opioid addiction, and other treatment-resistant conditions.

What’s happening: In the 1970s, psychedelics were criminalized, effectively ending research into therapeutic uses. More recently, regulators have eased restrictions on psychedelic research, fast-tracking clinical studies and legitimizing the space.

In a Phase II trial of patients who suffered from chronic, treatment-resistant PTSD for an average of 17 years, 56% showed no signs of the condition after one MDMA-assisted therapy session. Following up at the one-year mark, 68% no longer had PTSD.

In another study, psilocybin significantly decreased depression and anxiety in patients with life-threatening cancer. After six months, 80% of the patients were still less clinically depressed than before the treatment. Some participants said they lost their fear of death.

Psychedelics-as-a-service. Unlike cannabis, proponents are quick to warn that psychedelics aren’t a commodity, they’re a service. Marijuana is a commodity that can be cultivated and distributed. Psychedelics, on the other hand, rely on delivery — or the service component.

The big picture: While research continues, psychedelic medicine could reshape the future of healthcare and wellness. As momentum builds, scientists, startups, investors, and big pharma are plotting their next move.