Palliative Medicine
May 19, 2026
Louis Plourde, Sue-Ling Chang, Olivia Nguyen et al.
1 citation
BACKGROUND: While the adoption of psilocybin-assisted therapy for existential distress offers promising support for patients with life-threatening illnesses, implementing this intervention into palliative care settings presents significant real-world challenges. AIM: To examine palliative care stakeholders' knowledge and attitudes regarding psilocybin-assisted therapy, and identify barriers and...
Healthcare
September 12, 2025
Ariane Bélanger, Sue-Ling Chang, Jean-François Stephan et al.
1 citation
Background/Objectives: Given the limitations of traditional approaches to treating existential distress in seriously ill patients, psilocybin-assisted therapy (PAT) has emerged as a promising treatment option. However, weighing up the potential risks and benefits of this approach can be challenging for both healthcare professionals and patients. Decision aids can play a key role in supporting...
Palliative Medicine Reports
April 17, 2025
Michel Dorval, Sue-Ling Chang, Houman Farzin et al.
3 citations
Psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy represents a promising addition to palliative care interventions, potentially improving quality of life by addressing existential distress. Despite its safety and effectiveness, this therapy remains limited in Canada, underscoring the need for improved access to ease suffering from life-threatening illnesses. However, important questions remain regarding how to...
Journal of Psychedelic Studies
January 21, 2025
Louis Plourde, Sue-Ling Chang, Houman Farzin et al.
1 citation
Abstract The discussion surrounding the necessity of acquiring personal experience of non-ordinary states of consciousness in the course of psilocybin-assisted therapy training is crucial, as it can affect treatment safety, effectiveness and accessibility. As such, the ethical and practical issues associated with such a training standard require timely consideration in jurisdictions where this...
The Journal of Law Medicine & Ethics
2025
Katherine Cheung, M J Brodie, Sue-Ling Chang et al.
2 citations
Abstract Psychedelic treatment with psilocybin is receiving increased attention following clinical trials showing it may help treat end-of-life anxiety, depression, and several other conditions. Despite this, physicians may be reluctant to prescribe psilocybin and carry out psilocybin treatment because of the stigma surrounding psychedelics and the potential for medical malpractice liability....
Cahiers francophones de soins palliatifs
2025
Angie Shen, Andréanne Côté, Pascal Lamanque et al.
L’intérêt pour la psilocybine, une substance présente dans les champignons dits « magiques », connaît un regain marqué en psychiatrie et en soins palliatifs. Bien étudiée dans les années 1950 et 1960, elle est tombée dans l’oubli avec l’interdiction des drogues et le déclin de la contre-culture dans les années 1970. Aujourd’hui, son retour soulève des questions sur son potentiel en soins...
Palliative & Supportive Care
October 1, 2024
Marianne Masse-Grenier, Sue-Ling Chang, Ariane Bélanger et al.
4 citations
Promising studies show that psilocybin-assisted therapy relieves existential distress in patients with serious illnesses, a difficult condition to treat with current treatment options. There is growing interest in this therapy in palliative care. Canada recently amended its laws to allow physicians to request psilocybin for end-of-life distress. However, barriers to access remain. Since...
Journal of Palliative Medicine
September 12, 2024
Jean-François Stephan, Sani Karam
2 citations
Introduction: Psilocybin-assisted therapy (PAT) has gained traction in palliative care as a treatment for existential distress in the last decade. Patients with brain cancer have been excluded from studies, yet they stand to benefit as much as other patients with cancer-related psychological distress. Case description: In this report, we discuss the case of a patient with end-of-life distress...
Frontiers in Psychiatry
July 16, 2024
André Do, Vanessa Michaud, Jean-François Stephan et al.
3 citations
Psilocybin has reemerged as a promising treatment for difficult-to-treat depression (DTD). Although there is limited evidence regarding interactions between psilocybin and other psychotropic drugs, clinical trials require that patients discontinue their antidepressants before study entry to isolate the benefits of psilocybin and to minimize the risk of adverse events. We present the first case...
Palliative Medicine
January 22, 2024
Louis Plourde, Sue-Ling Chang, Houman Farzin et al.
22 citations
Background: Internationally, there is a growing interest in the potential benefits of psilocybin-assisted therapy to treat existential distress at the end of life. However, the social acceptability of this therapy is not yet well known. Aim: This study assesses the social acceptability of the medical use of psilocybin to treat existential distress at the end of life. Design: An online survey...