The Heffter Research Institute: Past and Hopeful Future
Journal of Psychoactive Drugs January 1, 2014 DOI: 10.1080/02791072.2014.873688 (opens in new tab) via OpenAlex
Summary
AI-generated from the abstractThe Heffter Research Institute, founded in 1993, is the only scientific organization dedicated to studying the medical value of psychedelics, focusing on psilocybin. Its first clinical trial examined psilocybin for obsessive-compulsive disorder. Subsequent studies include a UCLA trial for end-of-life distress in cancer patients, a Johns Hopkins study for anxiety and depression from cancer diagnosis, and a New York University trial nearing completion. A pilot study for alcoholism at the University of New Mexico is also finishing, with a larger two-site trial planned. Other ongoing work includes psilocybin for smoking cessation and effects on long-term meditators. The institute is planning a Phase 3 trial for distress in end-stage cancer patients.
Study at a glance
| Characteristics | Historical analysis Pilot study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Intervention | Psilocybin |
| Topics | Anxiety Psilocybin |
| Keywords | Distress Psychiatry Psychology |
| Citations | 24 |
| Key finding | Describes the Heffter Research Institute's founding and its series of clinical studies on psilocybin for conditions including obsessive-compulsive disorder, end-of-life distress, anxiety and depression from cancer, alcoholism, smoking cessation, and effects in long-term meditators. |
Abstract
This essay describes the founding of the Heffter Research Institute in 1993 and its development up to the present. The Institute is the only scientific research organization dedicated to scientific research into the medical value of psychedelics, and it has particularly focused on the use of psilocybin. The first clinical treatment study was of the value of psilocybin in obsessive-compulsive disorder. Next was a UCLA study of psilocybin to treat end-of-life distress in end-stage cancer patients. While that study was ongoing, a trial was started at Johns Hopkins University (JHU) to study the efficacy of psilocybin in treating anxiety and depression resulting from a cancer diagnosis. Following the successful completion of the UCLA project, a larger study was started at New York University, which is near completion. A pilot study of the value of psilocybin in treating alcoholism at the University of New Mexico also is nearing completion, with a larger two-site study being planned. Other studies underway involve the use of psilocybin in a smoking cessation program and a study of the effects of psilocybin in long-term meditators, both at JHU. The institute is now planning for a Phase 3 clinical trial of psilocybin to treat distress in end-stage cancer patients.