The new partnership in Kingston “will help shape the future of psychedelics in medicine.”
That’s the vision of Dr. Claudio Soares, professor of psychiatry and director of Providence Care Hospital (PCH), which is based in a newly established lab in partnership with Queen’s Health Sciences (QHS). Last month, PCH held a dedication ceremony for its Psychedelic Health Research Centre, the first of its kind in Canada.
Its roots date back to the Psychedelic Research Collaborative established at QHS in 2001. With new support from the Ontario Brain Institute and the Canadian Depression Biomarker Integration Network (CAN-BIND), the Centre will bring together local and national partners from a range of disciplines researching the therapeutic use of psychedelics in treating mental illness, substance use disorders, chronic pain and palliative care needs.
“Providence Care is at the forefront of psychedelic medicine and research in Ontario and Canada, and I have no doubt that this centre will help our health care system make informed choices about the efficacy and safety of psychedelics in the future,” said Dr. Claudio Soares, who is also a senior research fellow at the hospital.
The Centre will provide a comprehensive approach to psychedelic science, a national platform for clinical trials, training opportunities for health professionals and researchers, and knowledge-sharing initiatives with clinicians, community members and policymakers. The Centre’s aim is to overcome the stigma that often accompanies the therapeutic use of psychedelics in healthcare settings, while serving as a hub for research, education, training and treatment, partnering with experts from across Canada and internationally.
“Psychedelic drugs have shown some promise for people struggling in areas such as mental health and addiction,” said Jane Philpott, dean of Queens High School. “Research is needed to build a knowledge base that can help support these patients. That’s why Queens High School was an early pioneer in this area, and I’m thrilled to see Providence Care and its partners taking on this next step.”
Beyond clinical trials and research, the center also emphasizes education, collaboration and engagement, and in the future plans to host a range of activities, including workshops and educational sessions for the community and partners to discuss clinical trial research and knowledge transfer opportunities.
To date, clinical trials led by QHS and its partners have focused on the specific uses of psychedelic medicines in mental health and addiction, but Dr. Soares says there is potential to expand the research into other areas and applications for treating other diseases and conditions. With the new partners and PCH location, the goal is to achieve more sustainable growth of the center and its activities in its clinical research environment, and to foster education and knowledge transfer that will serve as the basis for future curriculum development on psychedelic medicines.
“Psychedelic drugs have emerged as a treatment tool for a variety of conditions and have great potential to aid people in their health and recovery journey. However, much remains unknown about the safety and efficacy of these drugs, and regulators are demanding better research and data than we currently have,” said Dr. Soares. “The research that will be conducted at the Centre will not only benefit the entire Kingston community.”
