Evidence map›Paper›PMID 34360453›Full record

ArticleInternational journal of environmental research and public health2021

Cancer Healthcare Workers' Perceptions toward Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy: A Preliminary Investigation.

Lisa M Reynolds, Amelia Akroyd, Frederick Sundram, Aideen Stack, Suresh Muthukumaraswamy, William J Evans

Open access · goldAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in International journal of environmental research and public health, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 13 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
13citing papers in PubMed
3.0field-weighted citation impact, top 8% 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.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

13 citing papers in PubMed, 29 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Article
  2. Anything that helps: cancer patient and carer perspectives on psychedelic-assisted therapy.Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer · 2026
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  12. "Integrative cancer therapies
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.

Lisa M ReynoldsDepartment of Psychological Medicine, The University of Auckland, 22-30 Park Avenue, Grafton, Auckland 1023, New Zealand.ORCID 0000-0002-9609-2135
Amelia AkroydDepartment of Psychological Medicine, The University of Auckland, 22-30 Park Avenue, Grafton, Auckland 1023, New Zealand.
Frederick SundramDepartment of Psychological Medicine, The University of Auckland, 22-30 Park Avenue, Grafton, Auckland 1023, New Zealand.ORCID 0000-0002-6311-9856
Aideen StackDepartment of Psychological Medicine, The University of Auckland, 22-30 Park Avenue, Grafton, Auckland 1023, New Zealand.
Suresh MuthukumaraswamySchool of Pharmacy, The University of Auckland, 85 Park Road, Grafton, Auckland 1023, New Zealand.
William J EvansMana Health, 7 Ruskin Street, Parnell, Auckland 1052, New Zealand.
University of Auckland · NZ

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Recent clinical trials suggest that psychedelic-assisted therapy is a promising intervention for reducing anxiety and depression and ameliorating existential despair in advanced cancer patients. However, little is known about perceptions toward this treatment from the key gatekeepers to this population. The current study aimed to understand the perceptions of cancer healthcare professionals about the potential use of psychedelic-assisted therapy in advanced cancer patients. Twelve cancer healthcare professionals including doctors, nurses, psychologists and social workers took part in a semi-structured interview which explored their awareness and perceptions toward psychedelic-assisted therapy with advanced cancer patients. Data were analysed using thematic analysis. Four inter-connected themes were identified. Two themes relate to the role and responsibility of being a cancer healthcare worker: (1) 'beneficence: a need to alleviate the suffering of cancer patients' and (2) 'non-maleficence: keeping vulnerable cancer patients safe', and two themes relate specifically to the potential for psychedelic-assisted therapy as (3) 'a transformative approach with the potential for real benefit' but that (4) 'new frontiers can be risky endeavours'. The findings from this study suggest intrigue and openness in cancer healthcare professionals to the idea of utilising psychedelic-assisted therapy with advanced cancer patients. Openness to the concept appeared to be driven by a lack of current effective treatment options and a desire to alleviate suffering. However, acceptance was tempered by concerns around safety and the importance of conducting rigorous, well-designed trials. The results from this study provide a useful basis for engaging with healthcare professionals about future research, trial design and potential clinical applications.

Indexed as

HallucinogensNeoplasmsHealth PersonnelHumansPerceptionQualitative ResearchSocial WorkersHallucinogenscancerhealthcareperceptionspsychedelicqualitative

Identifiers

PMID34360453
PMCPMC8346095
OpenAlexW3191608162

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

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.