The nation’s first clinical trials testing if whole psilocybin mushrooms can treat post-traumatic stress are scheduled to soon start in metro Phoenix.
Study participants will include firefighters, police officers and veterans.
Years of work have gone into readying the Scottsdale Research Institute to hold a psychedelic mushroom study, said Dr. Sue Sisley.
“We’re trying to create a safe space where eight people at a time can consume the medicine, be with each other, feel each others’ energy, move through the experience together," she said.
The trials will use 30 milligrams of psilocybin in the form of three chocolates. Standardizing doses was difficult, Sisley said.
“This has been a long road for us. Obviously the mushrooms are alive. They are constantly evolving and degrading,” Sisley said.
First responders and veterans can develop severe PTS over time.
“Ultimately, they’re looking for a long-term solution and we hope,” Sisley said.
Sisley’s therapy dog is also part of the study.
“The dogs immediately lock in to the vibe in the room and they start to rotate around the room, checking on people. They’re holding space with them,” Sisley said.
The study is state-funded.
Sisley says there’s strong participation interest among police officers, firefighters and veterans. She and her team are currently screening candidates at the Scottsdale Research Institute.
“Our first responders and military veterans have always been the tip of the spear in helping us evaluate new medicines,” Sisley said.
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