Interest in psychedelics, specifically psilocybin, has grown substantially in the last few years. Some states, cities, and municipalities have toyed with decriminalizing entheogens while others have legalized regulated psychedelic therapy. With all of this rising intrigue, many are curious about what medical professionals think.
A study published in Scientific Reports sought to find out, polling healthcare professionals on the safety and efficacy of magic mushrooms. Turns out, close to all of the polled professionals believed magic mushrooms are safe—with one caveat.
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Psychedelic approval grows among doctors and nurses
879 healthcare providers answered a survey on their knowledge and acceptance of psilocybin. The poll also covered MDMA therapy. Most respondents were nurses (25 percent), followed by physicians (18 percent). They also skewed primarily female at 71 percent and predominantly white (86 percent). Psychiatry was the most popular practice among respondents, followed by family medicine and internal medicine professionals.
About 73 percent of those polled had used psychedelics previously, and 30 percent have patients who currently use psilocybin. The study revealed that, provided the psilocybin was administered in a therapeutic setting, 93 percent of the healthcare providers believed that psilocybin could be safe in a clinical office.
As for the kind of clinical setting, 94 percent regard specialized clinics as the “most appropriate.” The next most sought-after places for wellness-focused trips were a private practice (78 percent), a patient’s home with supervision (75 percent), outpatient clinics (63 percent), and detox or drug rehabs (61 percent).
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Unfortunately, despite the support, general knowledge about psilocybin is lacking among the cohort. Only five and a half percent of those who answered the knowledge check questions about psilocybin got all three correct. A quarter of those surveyed got all three wrong. They listed popular media (70 percent), academic literature (66 percent), personal experience (59 percent), and informal conversations (51 percent) as their primary educational sources on the topic.
Attitudes about psilocybin therapy have shifted among doctors and nurses, but knowledge levels have not. This survey, albeit with a smaller sample size, shows a willingness to accept psychedelics provided they are helping patients. It also points to a need for more solid research and education for medical professionals. Though good and imperfect things were found, this study shows that the tides are changing.
