The Potential of Psychedelics for End of Life and Palliative Care.

Abstract

End of life and palliative care has improved in recent decades but the psychopharmacological options available to clinicians and patients in these contexts remain limited. In particular, psychological factors such as depression, existential distress, and well-being remain challenging to address with current medications. Here, we review recent research on the use of psychedelics in clinical settings with a particular focus on patients with life-threatening diagnoses. We propose that psychedelics may provide clinicians with an additional psychopharmacological treatment in the context of end of life and palliative care.

In the evidence

This study is part of the evidence base for 2 syntheses in the library. Here is how each one recorded it.

• State of the evidence: Psilocybin for end-of-life distress ↑Supports

  Proposes that psychedelics may offer clinicians an additional psychopharmacological treatment for depression, existential distress, and well-being in end-of-life and palliative care.

  Synthesized October 22, 2026

• State of the evidence: End-of-life distress ↑Supports

  Argues that psychedelics may provide clinicians with an additional psychopharmacological treatment for depression, existential distress, and well-being at end of life.

  Synthesized October 25, 2026

Comparable studies

Other narrative reviews on psilocybin for end-of-life distress, most cited first.