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The ‘psychedelic renaissance’ describes the boom in scientific, media, commercial and general public interest in the potential benefits of taking psychedelic drugs over the last two decades. However, the renaissance has taken some knocks of late. Lykos’ FDA application for MDMA was rejected, as was a bill to decriminalize psychedelics in California. There have been serious questions about the validity of psychedelic research, there’s a DEA crackdown on ketamine clinics, and there are signs of a shift in mood towards psychedelics in the media, the market and the general public.
How serious is the setback? Is the psychedelic renaissance ‘over’, and if so, what next for the psychedelic ecosystem? I asked 16 experts in the field for their takes. Here’s what they had to say:
Michael Pollan, author of How To Change Your Mind:
If the "psychedelic renaissance" is shorthand for the revival of research into the therapeutic value of psychedelics, no, it is not over. Research goes on, and I see no sign that the shift in the media winds or the FDA's decision on MDMA has affected it, at least not yet. We are in the midst of a correction, which is probably a healthy development: in the initial exuberance about the potential of psychedelics, their risks were underestimated and their benefits were overestimated. Could this correction turn into a full-fledged backlash such as we saw in the 1960s and 70s and which effectively ended research? It's possible-- the media pendulum is swinging-- but I think unlikely. Momentum for access to psychedelics at the state and local level remains strong, patient groups are organizing, and the need for new approaches to mental health treatment is as great as ever.
Rick Strassman, psychedelic researcher and author of DMT: The Spirit Molecule:
If not over, then the wind has definitely gone out of its sails. At least three factors are playing a role: 1) The difference between messianic utopianism and rigorous clinical research; 2) The rapid accumulation of adverse effects in the setting of increased accessibility; 3) Capital's flight to less risky ventures. This factor may lead psychedelic companies to design less than optimal protocols that minimize the role of therapy in order to attain billable scale. This will possibly then produce less impressive benefits and more adverse effects.
Elizabeth Nielson, co-founder of Fluence psychedelic training:
Interest in psychedelic research and therapy began escalating over the last decade and the trend is far from over; in fact, we're seeing unprecedented momentum in research, clinical applications, and professional interest in psychedelic-assisted therapies. Fluence is witnessing this firsthand through the growing demand for our training programs, especially in areas like ketamine-assisted psychotherapy and psilocybin facilitation under Colorado’s Natural Medicine Act. Meanwhile funding for psychedelic drug development is strong and there are multiple Phase 3 research studies going on at this very moment. There is much to look forward to for clinicians and patients alike!
Stephen Xenakis, Brigadier General (retired) US Army and former head of the American Psychedelic Practitioners Association:
In the sense of the psychedelic renaissance as a legacy of the 1970s counterculture…yes I think it will probably fade away. Some of the big funders in the space were thinking of psychedelics as a countercultural movement. They didn’t understand clinical medicine, tended to come from the tech world, and had this supposition that all you need is the right widget and everything will change. They put all their investment on Lykos, which obviously didn’t work out. What comes next? I think mental health is at an inflection point. It’s been a very siloed endeavour, dominated by pharma, and became very reductionistic. I think it will become more patient-centred. Psychedelics could promote and facilitate that shift. Will it happen? I don’t know, it’s a big fight.
Genesee Herzberg, founder, Sage Integrative Health
I don't think the psychedelic renaissance is over - it's more like we're in a new chapter, one where we're really grappling with how to integrate these powerful tools into our healthcare systems. What's next? I believe it's about weaving together the lessons from Indigenous wisdom, modern neuroscience, and trauma-informed care to create healing spaces that honor the whole person. The groundbreaking psychedelic research we've seen is just starting to ripple through the broader mental health field, highlighting a crucial insight: drugs alone aren't going to solve mental illness. Instead, we're recognizing the need for holistic, combination therapies that address the whole person, including their mind, body, spirit, and lived experience.
Jamie Wheal, author, Stealing Fire
In 2019 I called us at the peak of inflated expectations on the Gartner Hype Cycle and dedicated an entire talk to how we might avoid the trough and get cracking on the plateau of productivity, since the hour seemed late and the stakes seemed high. In retrospect MAPS Denver 2023 was the highest PSI in the bubble before it popped this year. We're firmly in the ditch for now but will slowly climb the slope of enlightenment into utterly ordinary, co-pays and health care backed serotoninergic wellness big pharma.
‘We're firmly in the ditch for now but will slowly climb the slope of enlightenment into utterly ordinary, co-pays and health care backed serotoninergic wellness big pharma.’ Jamie Wheal
Allison Hoots, founder of the Sacred Plant Alliance
The loud excitement characterized as the renaissance has transformed into more of a quiet determination and professionalism. The psychedelic ecosystem is progressing as distinct modalities—each with their own pace, standards of practice, legal complexities, and nuanced missteps with the need for humble rectifications. Clinical research and policy reform have made significant strides, and licensed and unlicensed professionals are coalescing into uniquely aligned communities for collaborative betterment and community accountability, whether within a messaging group, training cohort, or an organized association. Harms are coming to light and mechanisms of redress have risen. I see more organization, sharing of knowledge, ingenuity, and alliance in the movement forward.
Eamon Armstrong, host of Life is a Festival podcast
Venture-backed psychedelic businesses have definitely had a set-back, people made investments and lost money. But the FDA didn’t say ‘no’, it was a ‘go back and do more research’. The psychedelic community is actually reasonably good at self correction, and there are positive trends towards self-criticism, like your own work or Healing from Healing for example. What comes next? Psychedelics in the future will be one tool for self-exploration and self-change – just probably not the main one. We’ll probably find other ways to reach altered states, involving things like brain stimulation.
Nicolas Langlitz, co-founder, Psychedelic Humanities Lab
One question is how closely we tie the psychedelic renaissance to medical uses of psychedelics. As to the clinical trials, I have no insights into the financial situation of the different pharmaceutical companies. But I suppose that the bigger ones like Compass, ATAI, and MindMed have deep enough coffers to finish their pivotal trials, especially as they continue to work with a breakthrough therapy designation. Assuming that the unusual combination of pharmaco- and psychotherapy plus MAPS’ unorthodox culture were the main reasons why Lykos failed, their competitors’ position might even be strengthened at the end of the day – now that one of their main rivals seems to have collapsed. So I don’t think the race for market approval is over yet. That will take another rejected application. What’s definitely over is the hype phase of the second Seige cycle (see Langlitz 2023). And that’s a good thing, in my eyes. I just hope that we won’t transition into another anti-psychedelic period and finally manage to adopt a more sober perspective beyond both hype and anti-hype.
Jazz Glastra, Executive Director, BrainFutures
The psychedelic renaissance certainly isn’t over, but it is entering a new (and perhaps less glamorous) phase. This is a good thing. In 2023, it seemed the whole field was riding on a wave of excitement about the perceived inevitability of the first FDA-approved psychedelic drug. Now, we’re seeing a shift toward the hard work of building trust with the medical establishment, which is skeptical of psychedelic medicine. Ultimately, the success or failure of this new phase will determine whether patients can gain access to badly-needed new treatment options for a raft of mental health disorders, many of which disproportionately affect women, veterans, and other vulnerable populations.
‘We’re seeing a shift toward the hard work of building trust with the medical establishment, which is skeptical of psychedelic medicine.’ Jazz Glastra, BrainFutures
Mason Marks, project lead, Project on Psychedelic Law and Regulation at Harvard University and involved in new PULSE (Psychedelic Use, Law, and Spiritual Experience) project
The renaissance is likely just getting started, and it’s evolving. Despite increasing media coverage and public interest, psychedelics remain a relatively niche issue. Recent controversies have impacted some companies, but they’ve created new opportunities for others. There are more psychedelic drug candidates in the pipeline than ever, and there's increased interest in spiritual use.
Tadeusz Hawrot, founder and executive director, Psychedelic Access and Research European Alliance (PAREA)
I think we in Europe experienced our setback a year earlier when we learned that MAPS PBC would not continue with its Phase 3 trial plans here. This made me realize that we might be at least five years away from any psychedelic therapies receiving EMA approval. Today, I’m hopeful that some European countries will find a way to facilitate access to psychedelics through slow and narrow early access frameworks, with significant medical oversight. Lastly, I’m not sure it’s a good idea to just slot these treatments into a Western medical model without establishing or connecting with broader support structures. Let’s not fall again into the trap of providing only acute care for people affected by mental health conditions.
Simeon Schnapper, founder, JLS Fund:
I was asked this same question at the 2008 World Psychedelic Forum and again at MAPS Psychedelic Science in 2010. Seems to be every few years this question comes up and has for decades and will likely continue to be asked in perpetuity; or until our species merges into the singularity. I’m assuming I’m being asked to wear my extractive entitled white man of privilege hat as the first V.C. in the space. We’ve been evolving our investment thesis and coined the term “psymbios” [psychedelics plus neurotech plus digital therapeutics for precision health solutions].
Dr Elliot Marseille, UC Berkeley Collaborative for the Economics of Psychedelics
We were really on a roll, and then the FDA rejected Lykos’ MDMA application. This is why state progress is important, in Australia, in Holland, in US states. But unless these medicines are approved by the FDA, Medicaid won’t cover them, nor will Veteran Affairs - so that’s two huge parts of the population you want to reach. If we don’t get Medicaid onboard, we will have failed. We need to regroup and get over the FDA hurdle.
Natasja Pelgrom, psychedelic guide and founder of Awaken the Medicine Within
The psychedelic renaissance was never just about new mental health interventions—it was about catalyzing cultural and social transformation. Psychedelics could still significantly impact the world, as we need a collective reframing of our value systems and economic frameworks. It’s time for visionaries to apply psychedelic insights to our communities, politics, and institutions, challenging outdated systems and inspiring change while embedding new values —interconnected, interdependent, and reciprocal relationships between people, the land, and the wider world(s).
Joe Moore, CEO, Psychedelics Today
I never liked or used the term renaissance here. I liked to call it a resurgence. What I have observed is a substantial bit of depression and defeatism sweep the space since the FDA decision. People don’t realize how much the psychedelic world has evolved given the productization and commercialization in California and Colorado specifically. We also see substantial evolution in product design and safe supply in Vancouver BC, which is a real light in the space. We are also seeing a mass increase in people being able to order substance from "trusted" sources over encrypted digital means (onion markets and signal). The scene is also seeing a continuing interest in community-based use and harm reduction models that can keep costs low, less carbon burn and, hopefully with things being more local, offer better safety related to supply and things like client safety.
Katharine Maclean, author of Midnight Water and former psychedelic researcher
I remember walking around my farm with Michael Pollan while he was working on his book, as he pressed me on what I envisioned for the future of this "movement." He was particularly worried about one thing: Are we selling people a bill of goods? In other words, is the resurgence in research and mainstream interest based on something real? That was nearly a decade ago, and I feel relieved to say that the so-called renaissance that captured the interest of mostly rich, white men has (hopefully) reached its peak. The wave is receding, leaving behind an ocean of underground, counter-culture, and indigenous wisdom that remains mostly unperturbed by ephemeral surface agitations. To paraphrase writer and psychonaut Bett Williams, when all the glamour and hype subsides, the mushrooms will remain where they have always been: in closets and freezers in simple homes all over the country, waiting to be enjoyed with friends approximately once a year.
After the paywall, my brief and honest take and advice for those considering a career in the psychedelic ecosystem.
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