Low-income group psilocybin assisted therapy for depression: An Oregon feasibility study

Abstract

Background and aims: Despite growing popularity and increasing legal access, psychedelic therapy remains financially inaccessible to many. This study was designed to test the feasibility of conducting group psilocybin therapy in low-income adults with depression in Oregon's regulated psilocybin program. Methods: An open label, uncontrolled design was used. After a medical screening visit, participants were enrolled in cohorts of six. Each cohort participated in two 90-min preparation sessions conducted online followed by two psilocybin administration sessions one week apart where they consumed dehydrated and homogenized whole mushrooms, Psilocybe cubensis (B+ strain) prepared in a tea. Two days after each psilocybin administration they had an online, 90-min integration session. Results: We recruited 26 eligible participants, 20 of whom began treatment and 19 completed. No severe adverse events were reported, and participants rated their satisfaction, on average, as 4.8 out of 5, reporting moderate to high benefit and no harm. Exploratory outcomes include Hamilton Depression scores which demonstrated a significant decrease (t = 8.24, p < 0.001) in a paired t-test and a strong effect size (Cohen's d = 1.89). For the same time periods all eight domains of the PROMIS-29 were significantly improved on paired t-tests at p < .01 with effect sizes ranging from 0.667 to 1.774. Conclusions: The study demonstrates the feasibility of group psilocybin therapy in a low-income population with depression. Further research with rigorous comparator groups is warranted to assess if this intervention can be both effective and cost-effective.