Starting next month, 24 Arizonans living with PTSD will take part in an FDA-approved study using psilocybin — a naturally occurring psychedelic found in certain mushrooms.
It’s the country’s first clinical trial to use whole psilocybin mushrooms, sometimes called magic mushrooms. The participants are firefighters, police officers and veterans. Each will receive a dose of psilocybin to evaluate the therapeutic potential of whole-mushroom psilocybin versus a synthetic version.
The FDA has authorized the administration of the psilocybin to occur in groups of eight, allowing researchers to monitor safety and efficacy. The project is backed by the Arizona Legislature, the Department of Health Services and the Mayo Clinic.
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