In the billion-dollar race to commercialize psychedelic medicine, psilocybin, a naturally occurring hallucinogen better known as magic mushrooms, or “shrooms,” has decisively pulled ahead of the pack.
The Food and Drug Administration in November said it would move up its review of a psilocybin treatment for severe depression by nine to 12 months, according to the applicant, Compass Pathways. It hopes to receive the agency’s approval for the therapy before the end of the year.
“Between research results and policy changes, it’s a watershed moment for psychedelic health care, and psilocybin is the star,” said Nate Howard, director of operations at InnerTrek, a psilocybin clinic in Portland, Ore.
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A growing number of studies suggests that psilocybin is effective in treating complex mental health conditions like obsessive-compulsive disorder, anorexia and alcohol use disorder.
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Psilocybin’s therapeutic benefits are tied to the drug’s ability to temporarily rewire the brain, helping patients break the cycle of negative thinking …. In a therapeutic setting, the drug can provide fresh insights into unresolved childhood trauma, or help a terminally ill patient find joy in daily life, experts say.
