Mind-altering substances are (still) falling short in clinical trials

Recent clinical trials of psilocybin for depression continue to produce inconclusive results. One German study found psilocybin was not significantly better than an active placebo, while a UCSF meta-analysis of open-label trials showed psychedelics were no more effective than traditional antidepressants. The inherent difficulty of blinding participants to psychedelic effects remains a major methodological challenge.