Psilocybin-Assisted Therapy in Palliative Care: Early Clinical Trial Insights and Challenges

Interest in the full therapeutic potential of psychedelic substances continues to grow, especially for patients with serious illness, whose profound suffering may not be fully addressed by conventional treatments. Psychedelic-assisted therapy, particularly with psilocybin, has emerged as a promising approach to alleviating some of the emotional, existential, and spiritual suffering experienced by patients with serious illness. As research expands, palliative care clinicians have a unique opportunity to explore how psychedelics might enhance holistic, patient-centered care.

In this Interprofessional Grand Rounds session, presenters Ali John Zarrabi, MD, and Roman Palitsky, M.Div., PhD, will review early findings from clinical trials, examining the impact of psilocybin on patients' physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being. Through real-world cases, they will discuss how psilocybin therapy can be integrated into palliative care, including considerations for patient selection, safety, and support. A special focus will be placed on the vital role of chaplains and spiritual care providers in helping patients navigate profound psychedelic experiences, fostering meaning-making, reconciliation, and relief from suffering.