Could a taboo treatment help struggling new moms? Psychedelics move toward clinical use for postpartum depression, centered on a psilocybin-like trial drug

Psychedelics are increasingly being tried as a potential treatment for postpartum depression, which affects about 1 in 8 new mothers and is often stigmatized, underdiagnosed, and treated slowly or imperfectly. The San Francisco Chronicle reports on a U.S. clinical trial of RE104 by Reunion Neuroscience at NYU Langone Health Center for Psychedelic Medicine, enrolling 84 women who were randomized to an active dose or a lower sub-perceptual dose. Participants are monitored during and after dosing, and the experience is described as similar to psilocybin but shorter, with the full process taking about half a day. The piece connects the trial to the broader clinical and policy context: psychedelics are legal in Colorado and Oregon for therapeutic use, and the FDA has issued guidance for developing psychedelic drugs. It also compares RE104’s model to existing postpartum depression treatments such as Brexanolone and Zurzuvae, and notes that research teams and advocates face skepticism as they work to bridge from counterculture stigma to federally approved care.