Maybe they ARE magic

Psilocybin, the active ingredient in magic mushrooms, was shown to significantly reduce depression when compared to a placebo, per a new peer-reviewed study published last week in The New England Journal of Medicine.

🍄 More details… The Trinity College Dublin study, which included 233 adult volunteers with depression, is the largest to-date in this area of research. It’s also the first time a psilocybin trial has reached Phase 3, one of the last steps necessary before possible FDA approval.

• Those given a single 25mg dose were more likely to see significant mental health improvements – both immediately and for up to three months – than others randomly assigned 1mg or 10mg doses, the study’s authors said.

🇺🇸 Zoom out: Most psychedelics are classified as Schedule I controlled substances by the federal government. This label restricts academic research and blocks scientists’ access to the drugs. And though the scheduling process is distinct from FDA approval, the DEA typically waits for a drug to be FDA-approved before it can be rescheduled.

• Psilocybin received a “breakthrough therapy” designation from the FDA in 2019 for its potential to treat severe depression, meaning the agency is currently helping to speed up its years-long research and approval process.