Psychedelic therapy at the end of life: unexplored alternative to assisted suicide in the UK.
Ruslan Zinchenko
The British Journal of Psychiatry July 14, 2026 DOI: 10.1192/bjp.2026.10729 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Editorial Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | Psychedelic-assisted therapy |
| Keywords | Assisted suicide Drug regulation Psychedelic drugs Terminal care |
| Key points | Argues that the UK should reschedule psychedelics to allow research into their use in palliative care before institutionalising assisted suicide. |
Abstract
In this editorial, I examine the parallels between conventional and assisted suicide. Psychedelic therapy has been shown to alleviate end-of-life distress and reduce suicidality. I advocate for rescheduling psychedelics to enable research into their effectiveness as an adjunct to palliative care, prior to institutionalising assisted suicide in the UK.
Citations in the library
Cites 4
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- Psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy to treat psychiatric and existential distress in life-threatening medical illnesses and palliative care. Neuropharmacology September 15, 2022