Psilocybin added to methadone for people with opioid use disorder who still use illicit opioids
Evaluation of psilocybin as an adjunctive treatment for opioid use disorder in methadone-maintained patients who continue to use illicit opioids
This project offers a single supervised psilocybin session alongside ongoing methadone treatment for people who continue to use non-prescribed opioids to help reduce use and support recovery.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | New York University School of Medicine NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New York, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11196088 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If you are on methadone but continue to use non-prescribed opioids, researchers will offer a single, day-long psilocybin administration session in addition to your regular clinic care. The team plans to enroll 240 people across four opioid treatment programs in New York and New Mexico and will use a seamless two-phase design to refine the approach. A clinician trained in psychedelic-assisted therapy will lead the dosing session together with an OTP staff member who has a clinical relationship with you, and you will remain on methadone throughout. Researchers will follow participants over time to track opioid use, treatment engagement, and recovery-related outcomes.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Adults who are receiving methadone maintenance but continue to use non-prescribed opioids and who can attend one of the participating opioid treatment programs would be the intended candidates.
Not a fit: People who are not on methadone, who are stable and abstinent, or who have medical or psychiatric conditions that rule out psychedelic treatment may not benefit or be eligible.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could reduce ongoing illicit opioid use and improve engagement in addiction treatment for people on methadone.
How similar studies have performed: Early clinical trials of psilocybin for other substance use disorders have shown promising results, but there are no published data yet on psilocybin specifically for opioid use disorder.
Where this research is happening
New York, United States
- New York University School of Medicine — New York, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Bogenschutz, Michael Parks — New York University School of Medicine
- Study coordinator: Bogenschutz, Michael Parks
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.