A Perspective from the 'Reimagining Psychedelic Trials' Working Group
Résumé
2022 saw a rise in interdisciplinary groups, events and conferences examining psychedelic research and scholarship. Comprised of scientists, social scientists and humanists, our own ‘Reimagining Psychedelic Trials’ working group began meeting early in the year. Trial design is important to each of us, but for different reasons that speak to the very important but diverse stakes in psychedelic research today. As such, trial design has operated as a boundary object organising our conversations. Over the year, we discussed readings on the topics of placebo, colonialism, regulatory guidelines, psychotherapy, shamanism and real-world evidence. So far, we have sought to better comprehend one another’s approaches, problems, and modes of inquiry. In what follows we will share some of the questions that have emerged in our group over the year.