Powered by Blossom Research Database
Research on this page is provided courtesy of Blossom, a psychedelic science database based in the Netherlands. We're proud community partners, working together to keep you connected to current evidence on psilocybin- and MDMA-assisted therapy.
Backed by Science and Tradition
Human beings have used psychedelics for thousands of years. Modern research on these substances began in the 1950s and has seen a resurgence in recent years. Psilocybin and MDMA are now being used to treat a broad range of mental and physical health issues, reshaping the future of mental health care and offering new hope to many patients.
Expanding Horizons with Health Canada
Health Canada currently restricts legal access to psychedelics under the Special Access Program (SAP) to a limited range of conditions:
Psilocybin: Major depressive disorder,
treatment-resistant depression and terminal illness/end-of-life
anxiety.
MDMA: PTSD.
The ongoing tension between scientific progress and bureaucratic constraints often limits access to these life-changing therapies. For example, current Health Canada excludes conditions like cluster headaches and substance use disorder, despite evidence of psilocybin's benefits.
Depression
Psilocybin's strongest depression evidence is in general major depression, not just treatment-resistant cases. A 2023 trial gave 104 people a single 25mg dose with psychological support and found a large drop in depression scores that held for six weeks. Head-to-head against the antidepressant escitalopram, though, it didn't come out ahead. No psychedelic is currently approved for depression anywhere.
Check out the latest research
Anxiety
For primary anxiety disorders, LSD leads, not psilocybin. A Phase 2b trial of MindMed's MM120 cut anxiety scores more than placebo in generalized anxiety disorder and is now in Phase 3. Psilocybin's strongest anxiety results actually come from end-of-life distress. No psychedelic is approved for any anxiety disorder.
Check out the latest research
End-of-Life Distress
Two landmark 2016 trials found that a single psilocybin dose produced large, rapid reductions in anxiety and depression in people with life-threatening cancer, with 60 to 80% of patients still improved at six months, some for years. The evidence base is small and hard to blind, and no psychedelic is approved anywhere for this use.
Check out the latest research
PTSD
MDMA-assisted therapy ran the only completed Phase 3 program for any psychedelic in PTSD, with strong results in both trials. In August 2024, the FDA declined to approve it and requested an additional trial, citing questions about blinding and trial conduct.
Check out the latest research
Microdosing
Microdosing remains one of the most talked-about practices in this field, and the research is starting to catch up with the interest. It's an active, fast-moving area worth watching.
Check out the latest research
Headache Disorders (Cluster & Migraine)
Cluster headache patients discovered on their own that low doses of psilocybin or LSD could interrupt attacks, and organized to get it studied. It's a genuinely interesting, patient-driven lead.
Check out the latest research
Eating Disorders
Adults with anorexia have very few medication options that reliably work. The first study showed psilocybin could be given safely to medically fragile patients under close supervision. Whether it helps remains an open question.
Check out the latest researchFind a Clinical Trial
Curious whether there's an active psilocybin or MDMA study near you? This interactive map plots psychedelic clinical trials happening around the world, sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov.
PsychoactiveMap
An independently maintained, interactive map of psychedelic research sites worldwide. Search by institution, filter by compound, and click any marker to see trial details and source links.
Explore the trial mapPsychoactiveMap is an independent, community-built project, not an official TheraPsil or Health Canada resource. It's intended for educational purposes; always confirm details on ClinicalTrials.gov before applying to a study.
See This Research in Practice
TheraPsil has supported patients across Canada in accessing psilocybin- and MDMA-assisted therapy through Health Canada's Special Access Program, and our clinical trial work is building the Canadian evidence base further.
Learn about our Clinical TrialSubscribe to our newsletter!
Be the first to hear about new trainings, legal updates, and community events. Join TheraPsil’s newsletter and stay connected to Canada’s psychedelic advocacy and training community.
