Royal College warns on risks of psychedelic medicine
- Sep 22, 2025
- 1 min read
The Royal College of Psychiatrists (RCPsych) has issued a caution over the use of psychedelics and related substances (PARS) as treatments for mental illness.
Compounds such as ketamine, psilocybin, LSD, and MDMA are being investigated for depression, PTSD, and anxiety. While trials are under way — and esketamine, derived from ketamine, is already licensed for treatment-resistant depression in Scotland — the College stresses that current evidence is not strong enough for routine clinical use.
Concerns remain about unknown long-term effects, risks of dependence, and reports of persistent hallucinogenic symptoms. Experts argue that while there is a desperate need for new psychiatric treatments, claims of success are often running ahead of the science.
The College has published guidance for psychiatrists involved in trials and called for centralised monitoring, strict regulation, and sober, high-quality research. It has also warned against self-medication or unregulated clinics offering psychedelic therapies outside approved studies.
For now, psychedelic medicine remains a field of cautious excitement — but one that needs far more evidence before it can move from the research lab into everyday practice.