Topic guide
Clinical Trials
Learn how psychedelic trials use controls, blinding, outcome measures, selected populations and follow-up—and where bias can enter.
Start with context
A trial can be randomised and still be difficult to interpret. Strong subjective effects, expectancy, therapist contact, small samples and selective eligibility make study design central to every conclusion.
Questions this topic raises
- What was the control condition?
- Could participants guess their allocation?
- Were outcomes self-reported or independently assessed?
- How were missing data and adverse events handled?
- Does the conclusion match the design and follow-up period?
Read the evidence guides
Can Psychedelic Trials Really Be Blinded?
Understand functional unblinding, expectancy bias and the methods researchers use to limit them.
Psychedelics and Depression: Comparing the Different Research Approaches
See how population, controls, psychological support and follow-up can change the apparent result.
Microdosing Psychedelics: What Does the Evidence Actually Show?
Controlled studies, placebo effects and the limits of the evidence—without dosing advice.
What Does “Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy” Really Mean?
A guide to preparation, monitored sessions, psychological support and integration.
Screening, Contraindications and Risk in Psychedelic Research
What clinical trials screen and monitor—and why selected study populations cannot be generalised.
MDMA-Assisted Therapy for PTSD: Evidence, Limits and Approval Status
What phase 3 trials reported, why the FDA did not approve the application and what remains unresolved.
Keep the boundary clear
These guides are educational. They do not provide medical advice, personalised risk assessment, legal advice or instructions for using a controlled substance.
