What do health professionals think about implementing psilocybin-assisted therapy in palliative care for existential distress? A World Café qualitative study.
Marianne Masse-Grenier, Sue-Ling Chang, Ariane Bélanger, Jean-François Stephan, Johanne Hébert, Pierre Deschamps, Louis Plourde, François Provost, Houman Farzin, Jean‐sébastien Fallu, Michel Dorval
Palliative & Supportive Care October 1, 2024 DOI: 10.1017/s1478951524001494 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Qualitative study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 16 |
| Population | Palliative care professionals |
| Topics | End-of-life distress Psilocybin |
| Keywords | Psychedelic-assisted treatment End-of-life care Psychological support Psilocybin-assisted therapy Palliative care Qualitative research Terminal care |
| Citations | 4 |
| Key findings | Palliative care professionals consider psilocybin-assisted therapy a treatment of interest but have several concerns that need to be addressed to improve acceptability and access. |
Abstract
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 implementing psilocybin-assisted therapy within palliative care depends on the attitudes of healthcare providers willing to recommend it, they should be actively engaged in the broader discussion about this treatment option. We aimed (1) to identify issues and concerns regarding the acceptability of this therapy among palliative care professionals and to discuss ways of remedying them and (2) to identify factors that may facilitate access. A qualitative study design and World Café methodology were adopted to collect data. The event was held on April 24, 2023, with 16 palliative care professionals. The data was analyzed following an inductive approach. Although participants were interested in psilocybin-assisted therapy, several concerns and needs were identified. Educational and certified training needs, medical legalization of psilocybin, more research, refinement of therapy protocols, reflections on the type of professionals dispensing the therapy, the treatment venue, and eligibility criteria for treatment were discussed. Palliative care professionals consider psilocybin-assisted therapy a treatment of interest, but it generates several concerns. According to our results, the acceptability of the therapy and the expansion of its access seem interrelated. The development of guidelines will be essential to encourage wider therapy deployment.
In the evidence
This study is part of the evidence base for a synthesis in the library. Here is how each one recorded it.
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Professionals considered psilocybin-assisted therapy a treatment of interest but raised concerns about training, legalization, protocols, and eligibility criteria that need addressing for acceptability and access.
Synthesized
Comparable studies
Other qualitative studies on psilocybin for end-of-life distress, most cited first.