Evidence by condition
What the research shows, condition by condition
For each medicine and condition: the published trials, how strong that evidence is, the risks, the lawful ways to get treatment and what it costs. Every fact links to the paper, regulator or drug label it comes from.
Not medical advice. Checked 26 Oct 2026.
Mental health
Early randomised trialsPsilocybin
Psilocybin for depression: what the research shows
8 studies summarised; 86 recruiting trials.
FDA-approvedKetamine
Ketamine and esketamine (Spravato) for depression
6 studies summarised; 86 recruiting trials.
Phase 3 trials, not approvedMDMA
MDMA-assisted therapy for PTSD: the evidence and the FDA decision
3 studies summarised; 29 recruiting trials.
Addiction
Early randomised trialsPsilocybin, LSD, Ketamine
Psilocybin, LSD and ketamine for alcohol use disorder
4 studies summarised; 12 recruiting trials.
Early, uncontrolled evidenceIbogaine
Ibogaine for opioid addiction: the evidence and the cardiac risk
6 studies summarised; 14 recruiting trials.
Early, uncontrolled evidencePsilocybin
Psilocybin for quitting smoking: an early but striking pilot
2 studies summarised; 2 recruiting trials.
Little or no clinical evidencePsilocybin, Ketamine, MDMA
Psychedelics for gambling, sex and gaming addiction: the evidence is thin
A dated search of the literature; 1 recruiting trial.
How we grade the evidence
The grade describes the kind of evidence that exists, by fixed criteria. It is our reading, not a regulator's, and it says nothing about whether a treatment will work for any one person.
- FDA-approved
- A product is approved by the US Food and Drug Administration for this use, after phase 3 trials.
- Phase 3 trials, not approved
- At least one completed phase 3 randomised trial, but no approval for this use in the United States.
- Early randomised trials
- Completed randomised controlled trials, but small or phase 2 only; results may shrink in larger trials.
- Early, uncontrolled evidence
- Open-label, observational or case studies without a control group. Suggestive at most.
- Little or no clinical evidence
- No completed controlled trial that we could find.