{
  "abstract": "Objectives To assess the feasibility, safety and preliminary efficacy of psilocybin-assisted therapy (PAT) for demoralisation in terminally ill patients receiving home hospice care.Methods In this open-label pilot trial, 4607 home hospice patients at a large community hospice were screened over 22 months; 66 were approached, 15 enrolled and 10 received psilocybin. Participants completed two home-based preparation sessions, a single 25 mg oral psilocybin session at an inpatient hospice facility, and two home-based integration sessions. Feasibility was assessed through recruitment, retention and acceptability. Safety was evaluated via adverse event monitoring, and preliminary efficacy was assessed using changes in demoralisation scores and other psychosocial measures.Results The intervention was well tolerated, with no serious adverse events attributed to psilocybin. At week 3, demoralisation scores significantly decreased (mean reduction: 8.8 points, p=0.0196), despite ongoing clinical decline. Grief- and peace-related themes were prominent during psilocybin sessions. While six participants rated the treatment favourably on the Reaction to Research Participation Questionnaire global evaluation factor, three rated neutral on one or more items, suggesting that the emotional intensity and demands of the intervention may influence acceptability.Conclusion This study provides initial evidence that PAT can be feasibly and safely integrated into hospice care for terminally ill patients. Further research is needed to optimise delivery and further assess therapeutic potential.",
  "authors": [
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Department of Supportive Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts, USA",
        "Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA"
      ],
      "name": "Yvan Beaussant"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Department of Supportive Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts, USA",
        "Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA"
      ],
      "name": "Zachary Sager"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Care Dimensions, Danvers, Massachusetts, USA",
        "School of Nursing, Boston College, Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, USA"
      ],
      "name": "Caitlin Brennan"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Department of Supportive Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts, USA"
      ],
      "name": "Isabel Kristan"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Department of Supportive Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts, USA",
        "Department of Rehabilitation and Geriatrics, Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland"
      ],
      "name": "Michael Ljuslin"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Department of Supportive Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts, USA"
      ],
      "name": "Emanuele Mazzola"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Care Dimensions, Danvers, Massachusetts, USA"
      ],
      "name": "David Macdonald"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Care Dimensions, Danvers, Massachusetts, USA"
      ],
      "name": "Morgan Ellasandra Murphy"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA",
        "Department of Psychiatry, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA"
      ],
      "name": "Kabir Nigam"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA",
        "Care Dimensions, Danvers, Massachusetts, USA"
      ],
      "name": "Alden D Rinaldi"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada"
      ],
      "name": "Justin Sanders"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Care Dimensions, Danvers, Massachusetts, USA",
        "Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA"
      ],
      "name": "Kristen G Schaefer"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Department of Supportive Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts, USA",
        "Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA"
      ],
      "name": "Roxanne Sholevar"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Department of Supportive Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts, USA",
        "Anna Maria College, Paxton, Massachusetts, USA"
      ],
      "name": "Lisa Summer"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Care Dimensions, Danvers, Massachusetts, USA"
      ],
      "name": "Alifia Waliji-Banglawala"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Care Dimensions, Danvers, Massachusetts, USA"
      ],
      "name": "Sandra Yudilevich-Espinoza"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Department of Supportive Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts, USA",
        "Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA"
      ],
      "name": "James A Tulsky"
    }
  ],
  "title": "Psilocybin-assisted therapy for demoralisation in hospice patients: feasibility, safety and preliminary efficacy",
  "uid": "a06b7d15-5a68-5def-a518-426571d5e9b1"
}