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Psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy: The need to monitor adverse events

Summary

While psychedelics show promise for treating depression and other mental health conditions, researchers need better systems to monitor and report any harmful effects they might cause. This paper calls for more careful, consistent tracking of both physical changes (like blood pressure) and psychological experiences during psychedelic therapy. The authors emphasize that safety monitoring should continue even after patients leave the clinic and that women may experience different side effects than men.

Background

Psychedelics offer a promising new therapeutic avenue in psychiatry after decades with few breakthroughs in medication development. However, systematic assessment of adverse events associated with psychedelic-assisted therapies has received relatively little attention despite inconsistent reports on their occurrence and intensity.

Objective

To discuss considerations concerning the assessment of adverse events in psychedelic-assisted therapies, including terminology preferences, substance classification, and recommendations for comprehensive monitoring protocols.

Results

The authors recommend using the term ‘adverse events’ over ‘side effects,’ establishing baseline assessments, continuously monitoring vital signs and physical parameters, comprehensively assessing behavioral and experiential effects using standardized instruments, and considering sex-specific differences in adverse event susceptibility.

Conclusion

Psychedelics show considerable promise for psychiatric treatment, but rigorous and uniform assessment of adverse effects through comprehensive monitoring, consistent terminology, and long-term follow-ups are necessary to establish safe use and clinical implementation.
  • Published in:Journal of Psychopharmacology,
  • Study Type:Narrative Review,
  • Source: PMID: 40395120, DOI: 10.1177/02698811251340929
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