Enthusiasm running ahead of the data
Commenting on the findings, Bertha K. Madras, PhD, professor of psychobiology, department of psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, who was not involved in the study, said “hallucinogens are an intriguing class of drugs and I support ongoing high-quality research in this area.”
However, she told this news organization that the “breathtaking endorsement of this drug is far ahead of scientific data.”
She cited concerns such as the “narrow demographics” of participants, their previous experience with and expectations of hallucinogens, the “potential for symptom fluidity of enrollees,” such as depression evolving into psychosis, and the “undefined role” of the therapist during a hallucinogenic session.
“Finally, I am concerned that enthusiasm for therapeutic potential has been, and will continue to be, preempted and directed towards legalization and widespread access for vulnerable populations,” Dr. Madras said.
This, she said, “is occurring at breakneck speed in the U.S., with scant resistance or skepticism from the investigators engaged in therapeutic assessment.”
The study was funded by COMPASS Pathways. Dr. Goodwin has reported relationships with COMPASS Pathways, Buckley Psytech, Boehringer Ingelheim, Clerkenwell Health, EVA Pharma, Lundbeck, Janssen Global Services, Novartis, Ocean Neurosciences, P1vital, Sage Therapeutics, Servier, Takeda, and WebMD.
A version of this article first appeared on Medscape.com.