Assessing The Readiness of Psychiatrists in Louisiana to Incorporate Psilocybin into Clinical Practice—Lessons Learned from a State Underrepresented in Clinical Psychedelic Research

Background: Psilocybin has been granted breakthrough therapy status in the United States, speeding its advancement from research to clinical care. Due to the controversial nature of psilocybin, psychiatrists may not be fully prepared to incorporate it into clinical practice. The current study aimed to evaluate the opinions toward psilocybin among practicing psychiatrists in Louisiana. Louisiana serves as a representative state, modeling other areas with limited exposure to psychedelic research.

Methods: A 30-question survey was distributed via mail and digital newsletter to all registered Louisiana psychiatrists. The survey consisted of demographic questions and questions pertaining to how strongly respondents agreed or disagreed with statements about psilocybin and psychedelics on a five-point Likert scale. The statements aimed to assess knowledge and exposure to psilocybin including opinions on research and legalization, safety and addiction potential, medical use, and potential benefits and usages.

Results: Forty-nine responses were recorded. Eighty-two percent of participants reported having “some knowledge” of psilocybin. Eighty-six percent believed psilocybin should be researched for medicinal value, and 71% would prescribe psilocybin if it were proven beneficial for their patient’s illness. Fifty-seven percent believed it should be considered a first-line treatment for certain conditions, while 73% believed it should be used only after exhausting all other treatment modalities. The study had an overall 10.5% response rate, potentially limiting the generalizability of the findings.

Conclusion: Louisiana psychiatrists in our sample appear open to integrating psilocybin into their practice if there is strong regulatory support. Psilocybin research is rapidly expanding and will soon reach Louisiana and other states with a limited history of psychedelic clinical research. These findings warrant the development of an educational program on psychedelics to arm psychiatrists and patients with the knowledge to make the most informed decisions.