Panacea Index Logo

Command Palette

Search for a command to run...

Psilocybin-Assisted suppoRtive psychoTherapy IN the treatment of prolonged Grief (PARTING) trial: protocol for an open-label pilot trial for cancer-related bereavement.

BMJ open
April 15, 2025
Vanessa L Beesley et al. (15 authors)
Journal ArticleClinical Trial ProtocolHuman StudyClinical
Study Details

Study Goal

The researchers aimed to investigate the feasibility, safety, acceptability, and therapeutic effects of psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy for individuals with cancer-related prolonged grief disorder (PGD).

Results Summary

The study is an open-label pilot trial assessing feasibility, safety, and participant-reported therapeutic effects, with outcomes to be evaluated over a 12-month follow-up period. No specific results are reported in the abstract, but the study includes qualitative and quantitative measures to assess therapeutic potential.

Population

Approximately 15 people with cancer-related prolonged grief disorder (PGD).

Effective Dosage

25 mg psilocybin (single psychoactive dose).

Duration

5-week intervention period (including preparation and integration sessions).

Interactions

None mentioned.

Extracted Claims (10)
InterventionDirectionEndpointPopulationDosageImpactClaim #
psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy
decrease
prolonged grief
people with cancer-related PGD
-
is a potential treatment for
#1
psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy
neutral
feasibility
approximately 15 people with cancer-related PGD
-
will be investigated for
#2
psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy
neutral
safety
approximately 15 people with cancer-related PGD
-
will be investigated for
#3
psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy
neutral
acceptability
approximately 15 people with cancer-related PGD
-
will be investigated for
#4
psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy
neutral
participant experience
approximately 15 people with cancer-related PGD
-
will be investigated for
#5
psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy
neutral
participant-reported therapeutic effects
approximately 15 people with cancer-related PGD
-
will be investigated for
#6
psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy
neutral
feasibility
approximately 15 people with cancer-related PGD
-
will be assessed for
#7
psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy
neutral
safety
approximately 15 people with cancer-related PGD
-
will be evaluated for
#8
psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy
neutral
acceptability
approximately 15 people with cancer-related PGD
-
will be assessed for
#9
psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy
neutral
therapeutic potential
approximately 15 people with cancer-related PGD
-
will be assessed for
#10
Abstract

INTRODUCTION: Prolonged grief disorder (PGD) represents a substantial public health issue, especially in oncology settings where it affects up to 30% of bereaved carers. Current best-practice treatments are lengthy, and up to 50% of participants have persistent PGD. Building on encouraging recent research with psychedelic-assisted therapies, the Psilocybin-Assisted suppoRtive psychoTherapy IN the treatment of prolonged Grief (PARTING) trial is the first study to consider psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy as a potential treatment for prolonged grief. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: PARTING is an open-label pilot trial of psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy for approximately 15 people with cancer-related PGD. It aims to investigate feasibility, safety, acceptability, participant experience and participant-reported therapeutic effects. Over a 5-week intervention period, participants will undergo three preparation sessions before receiving a psychoactive (25 mg) dose of psilocybin alongside non-directive supportive guidance, followed by four integration sessions. All sessions will be delivered by a psychologist and either a nurse or Indigenous Therapist. An artificial intelligence-assisted tool will be used to create an artwork of participants' psychedelic experience.Outcomes will be investigated over a 12-month follow-up period. Feasibility will be assessed through recruitment/retention rates and completion of follow-up assessments. Safety will be evaluated via adverse events over 12 months and the comparison of physiological measures (vital signs, biochemistry, haematology, ECG) recorded during screening and 1 day after the psilocybin dose. Qualitative thematic analysis of semistructured interviews with participants and trial therapists will assess acceptability and the therapeutic potential of the treatment. Diagnostic clinical interviews for PGD and quantitative participant-reported measures of therapeutic effects are also being collected. Participant-reported measures include grief severity, depression, anxiety, grief avoidance, psychological flexibility, connectedness, and quality of life. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: Ethics approval has been obtained from QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute Human Research Ethics Committee (P3801). Dissemination of results will occur via conference presentations, peer-reviewed publications and media. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (ACTRN12623000827639).

Medical Subject Headings (MeSH)
HumansPsilocybinPilot ProjectsNeoplasmsPsychotherapyGriefHallucinogensBereavementResearch Design
Study Links
Quality Scores
Safety75
Efficacy65/10
Quality80/10
Research Impact Scores
APT Score0.05
Weight Score2.60
Normalized Score0.72
Related Supplements
Psilocybin-Assisted suppoRtive psychoTherapy IN the treatmen... | Panacea Index