Brian Anderson: Drug Ethnography & Clinical Trials - Designing a Psilocybin Therapy Protocol

Psilocybin-assisted therapy for long-term AIDS survivors is explored by designing a Phase 1 clinical trial focused on existential distress. This approach utilizes group therapy settings to address isolation and trauma, drawing insights from both past psychedelic research and community-based ethnography. The trial provides a space for participants to navigate complicated grief and gain peer support, emphasizing the potential for shared experiences among survivors to enhance therapeutic outcomes and integration. Historically, group trials for psychedelics faced logistical and measurement challenges, yet offered unique advantages in trust-building and support. Combining clinical trial rigorousness with these ethnographic findings helps build a safer and more effective protocol. The current model leverages partnerships with community organizations to recruit participants who may benefit from structured, psychedelic-supported group interactions, pointing toward future refinements in therapeutic design.