The primary protocols for research of psilocybin in cancerWhile each clinical trial and publication is unique, their protocols all revolve around the 3 stage PAT process: preparation, dosing, and integration.

For the psychotherapy component of the trial, there are several hours of preparatory sessions with some variability in duration and frequency. The preparatory sessions aim to answer questions and provide context for participants about the experience ahead, and most importantly focus on rapport with the therapist. Some protocols also include discussion of intentions and expectations for the dosing session.The dosing session is between 6 and 8 hours. The majority of trials today use 25 mg of psilocybin with Niacin as the placebo. Most of the studies, particularly the earlier ones, utilized a 2:1 therapist to participant ratio (2 therapists observing the entire dosing session). More recent studies have focused on a 1:1 ratio, or group models like 4 therapists observing 4–8 participants (University of Washington study).For the integrative phase after dosing, participants are generally instructed to journal on their own for several days or weeks. All studies do some form of integration at least the day after (some may even start the evening of dosing), with subsequent integration sessions held weekly or monthly for several rounds.

Sachi's take We have summarized the general themes and trends from all the peer-reviewed clinical trials for cancer. If you seek PAT where it is legally provided, we encourage you to discuss these protocols with any potential retreats or therapy centers. All protocols can be found in the published manuscripts under the “methods” section.

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The PAT experience: What to expect

Clinical trials for psilocybin and other research in cancer

The information on this site is for educational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. Psychedelics may or may not be legal in your jurisdiction. Consult a lawyer if you have questions about the law, and consult your care team before making any decisions about your health. Legal notice.

Note: There are several psychedelics under investigation for treatment of the mental and emotional symptoms of cancer. While we focus almost exclusively on psilocybin, we will include breaking information from trusted sources about others (MDMA, Ketamine, etc.).