Insider No. 84: Psychedelic Wellness

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.