Oregon psilocybin centers follow safety screening guidelines, but high costs limit access, WashU study finds

A WashU and University of Missouri study found that Oregon's licensed psilocybin centers consistently followed state safety requirements when screening prospective clients. Researchers posing as callers reached 15 of 22 active centers and found that staff asked about psychiatric history, medications, suicidal ideation and other risk factors before recommending services. No center permitted unsupervised or take-home use, and nearly all flagged medication combinations requiring caution. The findings are reassuring about implementation of the first regulated U.S. psilocybin program, although the study relied on scripted phone interactions rather than treatment outcomes. Access remains a major concern: sessions cost a median of $1,900, no center accepted insurance, and high operating and licensing costs contributed to center closures and limited affordability.