Can magic mushrooms treat PTSD? London-bound clinical trial seeks to find out

London is one of the latest Canadian cities to host pioneering research into the potential of psychedelic drugs to treat severe mental illness.

A Health Canada-approved clinical trial is seeking 20 local participants who have been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) to undergo therapy assisted by psilocybin — the active ingredient in psychedelic mushrooms.

Sponsored by Apex Labs and conducted at sites owned by Centricity Research, the trial will tap into the expertise of local mental health professionals who will work with patients using Apex's psychotherapy manual over the course of the trial.

One of those local professionals is Jared Dalton, a registered social worker and psychotherapist whose experience with psychedelic-assisted therapy began after he witnessed the distress his mother experienced at the end of her life.

"[Psychedelics] are really amazing for people that feel constricted around their emotions, who experience difficulty tolerating feelings of sadness, feelings of anxiety. It seems to create a space where they can they can feel those feelings without being overwhelmed by them," said Dalton.

There's a lack of good options available to help people experiencing significant stress during palliative care, he said.

In psychedelics, he sees a potential treatment that hasn't been explored enough in research, and one that shows promise above and beyond just end-of-life care.

That's why Dalton said he was on board when approached by Apex Labs, a pharmaceutical company that develops psilocybin-based drugs, to help treat participants with PTSD.

"I'm excited for what this means for the patients," he said. "Free access to this type of support is huge, especially because of how costly it can be."

The main focus of the trial being to treat people with PTSD is borne partially from the expertise of Dr. Mark Johnston, a psychiatrist and Apex Labs's chief medical officer.

He's spent over 20 years treating PTSD, and said there's a lack of treatment options that are purpose-built.

"We've taken most of them from anxiety or depression treatments because there's a lot of overlap, and they kind of work," he said. "There's a lot of anecdotal evidence to support psilocybin being part of that solution."

However, regulators need to see the results of clinical trials before the therapy can become more widely available, he said. 

Psilocybin is prohibited in Canada by the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act and has been illegal since 1975. Health Canada says the drug shows promising results in clinical trials, but still says evidence is limited, as few trials have been completed.