By: Jasmine Rooke, Research Communications Manager, Bruyère Health Research Institute.​

New research is taking place on the palliative care unit at Bruyere Health in search of novel therapies for psychological distress at end of life. 

Andrew Chernysh was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) five years ago. He lives with paralysis from the neck down and breathes with assistance from a ventilator. 

He was admitted to Bruyère Health’s palliative care program for patients with complex care needs in 2024 and, like many patients facing a difficult and vulnerable chapter of their life, was struggling existentially. 

In 2025, Andrew joined a new clinical trial testing microdose psilocybin to treat existential distress. Now, he looks ahead to the future and finds he has a renewed joy in the simple things of life. 

Up to half of patients with advanced illness experience severe psychological distress as they approach the end of life. Despite how pervasive this experience is, finding the right treatment can be challenging. Traditional therapies such as counselling or antidepressants take weeks or months to have a meaningful effect. 

“Finding treatments that support a greater quality of life that can have a timely and meaningful impact are central to rethinking end-of-life care,” said Dr. James Downar, palliative physician and Senior Investigator at Bruyère Health Research Institute. 

Previous research has shown that large doses of psilocybin (the psychedelic compound of “magic mushrooms”) can reduce psychological distress for palliative care patients with cancer, but its treatment protocols are often burdensome to patients, requiring significant psychotherapy in parallel, and intensive resources for care and supervision. 

Sometimes less is more. 

Microdosing involves taking small doses that do not cause psychedelic effects such as hallucinations. In just three weeks, 72% of participants who completed the trial were less demoralized, depressed, and anxious. 

More than 60% of participants reported meaningful improvements in depression, and more than half reported meaningful improvements in another measure of anxiety and depression. 

For Andrew, the outcome was clear. Treatment offered him relief, including reducing his anxiety almost immediately after starting the trial. 

Sixty-nine percent of the trial’s participants experienced meaningful improvement, and no participant experienced any serious adverse effects. 

Research into microdose psilocybin is sparse because the drug is not legal in many countries, including Canada. These findings are the first step to exploring the potential of microdose psilocybin. 

Next, Dr. Downar’s research team will be conducting a larger, randomized control trial to gain a deeper understanding of the benefits of psilocybin microdosing and whether it could be a viable option on a larger scale. 

With limited other options, finding treatments that offer relief for psychological distress is critically needed for palliative patients across the country. ​