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Arizona is set to become a global leader in medicinal psilocybin research – the active psychedelic ingredient in so-called 'magic mushrooms' – for individuals with life-threatening illnesses.
Arizona is set to become a global leader in psilocybin research.
Scottsdale Research Institute announced on May 28 that it will lead the first government-funded study measuring the effects of natural psilocybin mushrooms when treating individuals with life-threatening illnesses. The initiative will proceed after SRI, led by President Sue Sisley, MD, was awarded roughly $2.75 million of a $5 million grant that Arizona leaders had previously dedicated to natural psilocybin research.
Military veterans, firefighters, and Arizonans with terminal illnesses successfully advocated for the Legislature to approve the grant.
Arizona is now the first state in the United States with a legal DEA-approved clinical treatment study using natural, self-grown psilocybin mushrooms — sometimes referred to as “magic mushrooms” for their psychedelic qualities. SRI’s research could have widespread ramifications on individuals suffering from chronic pain, post-traumatic stress disorder, and other physical and mental illnesses.
“Arizona is at the forefront of this clinical research, leading the charge in exploring innovative treatments for mental health and chronic pain,” said Nicole Nichols, SRI Foundation President, in a statement. “Our state’s commitment to scientific inquiry and patient well-being positions us as a national leader in this transformative field.”
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The funds from the state of Arizona will add to a grant program established by the Psilocybin Research Advisory Council, which is funding SRI’s current activities.
The study SRI plans to conduct consists of a two-part treatment plan. Their small team will grow their own mushrooms in their Scottsdale facility and measure the effects on patients with illnesses, closely monitoring their emotional states and reactions with study facilitators. SRI plans on comparing the psilocybin effects by treating one group with the mushrooms and another group with a placebo.
“The state of Arizona is on the cusp of becoming a world leader in conducting first ever studies of natural psilocybin mushrooms in FDA controlled trials,” said Sisley. “Whole psilocybin mushrooms, with all of the molecules working together, could offer superior healing potential than one synthetic molecule, which is the only study drug currently being examined.”
If the study shows that psilocybin mushrooms are beneficial to individuals with such illnesses, SRI’s goal is to raise awareness about the advantages and disadvantages, while potentially paving the way for psilocybin mushrooms to be obtained legally for medical treatment in the U.S. The research clinic also studies the medical potential of other psychoactive plants, including cannabis.
As of now, SRI intends to test up to 24 patients with certain illnesses, although that number could grow. The study projects to last four to six months for each patient, and they hope to start before the end of the year.
Some of the health conditions SRI is looking to help with include chronic pain, post-traumatic stress disorder, symptoms associated with long Covid, obsessive compulsive disorder, depression and anxiety disorders, substance abuse, autoimmune disorders, and terminal illnesses.
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Scottsdale Research Institute leads global 'magic mushroom' research study – The Business Journals
