When both treatments unblinded, psychedelics not more effective than antidepressants
The Brown University Psychopharmacology Update May 29, 2026 DOI: 10.1002/pu.31464 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Systematic review and meta-analysis Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 24 |
| Population | Trials of psychedelics and antidepressants for depression |
| Topics | Psilocybin |
| Keywords | Antidepressant Depression economics Clinical trial Psychotherapist |
| Key findings | When both psychedelic and antidepressant trials for depression are unblinded, psychedelics are no more effective than open-label antidepressants. |
Abstract
A systematic review and meta‐analysis comprising 24 trials has concluded that when both psychedelic and antidepressant trials in the treatment of depression are unblinded, psychedelics are no more effective than open‐label antidepressants. The findings call into question some optimistic projections about the efficacy of psychedelics in depression treatment.
Comparable studies
Other systematic reviews and meta-analyses on psilocybin, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Therapeutic effects of classic serotonergic psychedelics: A systematic review of modern‐era clinical studies Patients with cancer- or illness-related anxiety and depression, major depressive... | 2020 | Systematic review | n = 188 |
| Blinding and expectancy confounds in psychedelic randomized controlled trials | 2021 | Systematic review | |
| Antidepressive, anxiolytic, and antiaddictive effects of ayahuasca, psilocybin and lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD): a systematic review of clinical trials published in the last 25 years Patients from included clinical trials | 2016 | Systematic review | |
| The experimental effects of psilocybin on symptoms of anxiety and depression: A meta-analysis People with elevated symptoms of anxiety and depression | 2020 | Meta-analysis | n = 117 |
| Default Mode Network Modulation by Psychedelics: A Systematic Review Participants from included studies | 2022 | Systematic review |