Evidence map›Paper›PMID 27909165›Full record

Trial reportJournal of psychopharmacology (Oxford, England)2016

Psilocybin produces substantial and sustained decreases in depression and anxiety in patients with life-threatening cancer: A randomized double-blind trial.

Roland R Griffiths, Matthew W Johnson, Michael A Carducci, Annie Umbricht, William A Richards, Brian D Richards, Mary P Cosimano, Margaret A Klinedinst

14 registry-linked trialsOpen access · hybridAbstract readRandomized Controlled Trial
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Trial report in Journal of psychopharmacology (Oxford, England), 2016. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to 14 registered trials, which are not on this map. Cited by 855 papers, 13 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
855citing papers in PubMed, 13 pooled it
92.9field-weighted citation impact, top 1% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

NCT00465595 phase2completednot on this map

Psychopharmacology of Psilocybin in Cancer Patients

TypeinterventionalSponsorJohns Hopkins UniversityRan2007 to 2016Enrolled56ConditionsDepressive Symptoms, Anxiety, CancerArmspsilocybin
NCT03356483 phase1completednot on this mapstarted 2018, after this paper: background citation

Psilocybin Treatment in Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder: a Preliminary Efficacy Study and Exploratory Investigation of Neural Correlates.

TypeinterventionalSponsorYale UniversityRan2018 to 2024Enrolled31ConditionsObsessive-Compulsive DisorderArmsPsilocybin (0.25mg/kg), Niacin (250mg)
NCT03866174 phase2completednot on this mapstarted 2020, after this paper: background citation

A Randomized, Double-Blind Study of Single-Dose Psilocybin for Major Depressive Disorder (MDD)

TypeinterventionalSponsorUsona InstituteRan2020 to 2022Enrolled347ConditionsDepressive Disorder, MajorArmsPsilocybin, Niacin, Set and Setting (SaS) Protocol
NCT04410913 phase2active not recruitingnot on this mapstarted 2021, after this paper: background citation

Pilot Trial of Visual Healing®, a Nature-themed Virtual Immersive Experience, to Optimize Set and Setting in Psilocybin-assisted Therapy for Alcohol Use Disorder

TypeinterventionalSponsorKeith HeinzerlingRan2021 to 2023Enrolled20ConditionsAlcohol Use DisorderArmsPsilocybin plus Visual Healing Set and Setting, Psilocybin plus Standard Set and Setting
NCT04754061 phase1 / phase2active not recruitingnot on this mapstarted 2024, after this paper: background citation

PSilocybin for psYCHological and Existential Distress in PALliative Care (PSYCHED-PAL): A Multi-site, Open-label, Single Arm Phase I/II Proof-of-concept, Dose-finding, and Feasibility Clinical Trial

TypeinterventionalSponsorOttawa Hospital Research InstituteRan2024 to 2027Enrolled20ConditionsDepression, Anxiety, Distress, EmotionalArmsPsilocybin
NCT05065294 phase2active not recruitingnot on this mapstarted 2022, after this paper: background citation

An Open-Label Pilot Study Examining the Feasibility, Safety, and Effectiveness of Psilocybin Therapy for Depression in Bipolar II Disorder

TypeinterventionalSponsorUniversity of California, San FranciscoRan2022 to 2025Enrolled14ConditionsBipolar II DisorderArmsPsilocybin therapy
NCT05214417 phase2unknown statusnot on this mapstarted 2022, after this paper: background citation

Conscious Dying/Conscious Living: Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy (KAP) for Patients at End of Life-A Pilot Study for Palliative and Hospice Care

TypeinterventionalSponsorThe Ketamine Research FoundationRan2022 to 2024Enrolled120ConditionsIllness TerminalArmsKetamine Injectable Solution, Naturalistic Control
NCT05370911 phase1active not recruitingnot on this mapstarted 2023, after this paper: background citation

Effects of Repeated Dosing of Psilocybin on Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder: A Randomized, Waitlist-Controlled Study

TypeinterventionalSponsorYale UniversityRan2023 to 2027Enrolled28ConditionsObsessive-Compulsive DisorderArmsPsilocybin
NCT05403086 phase2recruitingnot on this mapstarted 2025, after this paper: background citation

Pragmatic Trial of Psilocybin Therapy in Palliative Care (PT2PC): A Multicenter Triple-blind Phase 2 Randomized Controlled Trial of Psilocybin Therapy for Demoralized Adults Near the End of Life

TypeinterventionalSponsorCharles S. Grob, M.D.Ran2025 to 2027Enrolled100ConditionsDemoralizationArmsPsilocybin, Ketamine
NCT05562973 phase1withdrawnnot on this mapstarted 2025, after this paper: background citation

Safety and Tolerability of Psilocybin in Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

TypeinterventionalSponsorJohns Hopkins UniversityRan2025 to 2025Enrolled0ConditionsPost-Traumatic Stress DisorderArmsPsilocybin
NCT06303739 phase3active not recruitingnot on this mapstarted 2024, after this paper: background citation

Induction Protocol for Psilocybin-Assisted Therapy in Treatment-Resistant Depression (TRD): A Pilot Study

TypeinterventionalSponsorUniversity of North Carolina, Chapel HillRan2024 to 2027Enrolled20ConditionsRefractory Depression, Treatment Resistant DepressionArmspsilocybin
NCT06355414 phase1recruitingnot on this mapstarted 2024, after this paper: background citation

Psilocybin and Affective Function in Chronic Lower Back Pain Depression

TypeinterventionalSponsorJohns Hopkins UniversityRan2024 to 2026Enrolled40ConditionsChronic Low-back Pain, DepressionArmsPsilocybin, Methylphenidate
NCT06416085 phase2active not recruitingnot on this mapstarted 2024, after this paper: background citation

Psilocybin-assisted Existential, Attachment and RelationaL (PEARL) Therapy for Patients With Advanced Cancer: A Phase II Open-Label Trial

TypeinterventionalSponsorUniversity Health Network, TorontoRan2024 to 2026Enrolled15ConditionsAdvanced Cancer, Stage IV Solid Tumor Cancer, Stage IV Sarcoma of Bone, Stage IV LymphomaArmsPsilocybin
NCT07063862 phase3recruitingnot on this mapstarted 2026, after this paper: background citation

PSilocybin Microdose for psYCHological and Existential Distress in PALliative Care (PSYCHED-PAL): A Multi-site Phase 3 Double-blind, Placebo-controlled, Parallel-arm Clinical Trial

TypeinterventionalSponsorBruyère Health Research Institute.Ran2026 to 2027Enrolled120ConditionsPsychological DistressArmsPsilocybin, Placebo
3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

855 citing papers in PubMed, 13 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 2,090 citations in OpenAlex.

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795 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors at 3 institutions in 1 country.

Roland R GriffithsDepartment of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA rgriff@jhmi.edu.
Matthew W JohnsonDepartment of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.
Michael A CarducciSidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.
Annie UmbrichtDepartment of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.
William A RichardsDepartment of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.
Brian D RichardsDepartment of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.
Mary P CosimanoDepartment of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.
Margaret A KlinedinstDepartment of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.
Johns Hopkins Medicine · USJohns Hopkins University · USSidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center · US

Funding

Human Clinical Pharmacology of Emerging Drugs of Abuse (Club Drugs)R01DA003889 · NIDA · JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY · PI GRIFFITHS, ROLAND R · 1985 to 2017
$7.6M
NIDA NIH HHS R01 DA003889
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Cancer patients often develop chronic, clinically significant symptoms of depression and anxiety. Previous studies suggest that psilocybin may decrease depression and anxiety in cancer patients. The effects of psilocybin were studied in 51 cancer patients with life-threatening diagnoses and symptoms of depression and/or anxiety. This randomized, double-blind, cross-over trial investigated the effects of a very low (placebo-like) dose (1 or 3 mg/70 kg) vs. a high dose (22 or 30 mg/70 kg) of psilocybin administered in counterbalanced sequence with 5 weeks between sessions and a 6-month follow-up. Instructions to participants and staff minimized expectancy effects. Participants, staff, and community observers rated participant moods, attitudes, and behaviors throughout the study. High-dose psilocybin produced large decreases in clinician- and self-rated measures of depressed mood and anxiety, along with increases in quality of life, life meaning, and optimism, and decreases in death anxiety. At 6-month follow-up, these changes were sustained, with about 80% of participants continuing to show clinically significant decreases in depressed mood and anxiety. Participants attributed improvements in attitudes about life/self, mood, relationships, and spirituality to the high-dose experience, with >80% endorsing moderately or greater increased well-being/life satisfaction. Community observer ratings showed corresponding changes. Mystical-type psilocybin experience on session day mediated the effect of psilocybin dose on therapeutic outcomes.

trial registrationClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT00465595.

Indexed as

AnxietyAttitudeCross-Over StudiesDepressionDouble-Blind MethodFemaleFollow-Up StudiesHallucinogensHumansMaleMiddle AgedNeoplasmsPsilocybinQuality of LifeSurveys and QuestionnairesHallucinogensPsilocybinanxietycancerdepressionhallucinogenmystical experiencePsilocybinsymptom remission

Identifiers

PMID27909165
PMCPMC5367557
OpenAlexW2558412547

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

and 8 more above

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.