For patients nearing the end of life, psychological suffering can be as devastating as physical pain. Up to one-third of cancer patients experience anxiety and depression, yet conventional antidepressants often bring delayed relief and unwelcome side effects. Now, a new survey of palliative care doctors in Australia and New Zealand suggests a promising path forward: psychedelic therapy. The results, published in a peer-reviewed journal, reveal widespread cautious optimism among the clinicians most likely to use such treatments.
Researchers from the Australian and New Zealand Society of Palliative Medicine surveyed nearly 100 working physicians in the field. The findings were striking: nearly nine in 10 agreed that psychedelic therapies warrant further investigation for end-of-life care. Around three-quarters rejected the idea that these substances are too unsafe for clinical use. Crucially, two-thirds believed psychedelics could improve patient outcomes when combined with psychotherapy — the approach most researchers consider essential.
Perhaps most compelling was what doctors said about patients facing the most profound existential distress. Of those surveyed, 84 percent were either neutral or agreed that psychedelic therapies could offer an alternative for some patients who might otherwise consider medical assistance in dying. The doctors distinguished clearly between medical and recreational use; half still supported keeping psychedelics illegal outside clinical settings, while many simultaneously saw therapeutic promise in controlled environments.
The doctors who participated in follow-up interviews emphasized their openness to innovation paired with a commitment to safety and equitable access. They were not advocating for unbridled adoption, but for rigorous research that could establish clear guidelines. The consensus reflected what the researchers called "cautious optimism" — recognition that the science is still emerging, but that the need is urgent enough to justify serious investment in quality studies.
That investment is already beginning to materialize. Both Australia and New Zealand have recently enacted laws allowing authorized doctors to prescribe psilocybin — the active ingredient in magic mushrooms — and MDMA for limited medical purposes. This regulatory shift reflects growing international evidence that these substances, used responsibly in therapeutic settings, may help relieve existential anxiety and psychiatric symptoms that conventional treatments fail to address.
The road ahead involves answering hard questions about safety, dosing, and which patients might benefit most. But for a profession dedicated to alleviating suffering at life's most vulnerable moments, the emerging data is hard to ignore. As one research summary put it, many specialists now view psychedelic therapies as "a potentially valuable new tool" — not a cure-all, but a meaningful addition to the toolkit for compassionate end-of-life care.