In this Journal Club session, Lea Mertens, MSc., one of the lead researchers and therapists of the EPIsoDE trial and first author of its main results paper, will present one of the largest clinical trials to date on psilocybin combined with psychotherapy for treatment-resistant depression. Having been closely involved in designing the study alongside Prof. Gerhard Gründer, Lea offers an insider’s view of how the trial was built, what it found, and what happened to patients in the months that followed.

The EPIsoDE trial looked well beyond depression scores, also examining well-being, individual differences, possible underlying mechanisms, and safety. Its results have sparked debate about how we measure depression and how we judge whether a treatment works, especially when its effects may go beyond what standard rating scales capture. Join us for a presentation and open discussion of what this study means for the future of psychedelic-assisted therapy.