More than 116 psychedelic clinical trials are actively recruiting volunteers in the US. This guide explains where to find them, how to apply, what to expect, and which eligibility criteria screen most people out.
The federal registry is the most complete source. Use it first, then check the institution-specific portals below for active programs with dedicated enrollment coordinators.
The authoritative federal database for all US clinical research. Search by condition (e.g. "PTSD", "depression") plus intervention (e.g. "psilocybin", "MDMA") and filter Status to "Recruiting" and Country to "United States." Every FDA-authorized trial must register here.
Johns Hopkins Center for Psychedelic & Consciousness Research
One of the world's leading psychedelic research programs, with ~27 active studies covering psilocybin for depression, PTSD, OCD, ALS, opioid use disorder, cluster headaches, and healthy volunteer studies. Use the "Enroll in a Study" section of their site to apply directly. They prefer participants within driving distance of Baltimore.
NYU Langone Center for Psychedelic Medicine
Active trials for psilocybin (alcohol use disorder, smoking cessation, cancer distress, PTSD) and MDMA (couples therapy). Submit a Research Interest Survey on their site; an enrollment coordinator will match you to open studies.
UCSF Translational Psychedelic Research (TrPR)
Five open trials including healthy volunteer studies, Parkinson's disease, palliative care, anorexia nervosa, and older adults. If you're in the Bay Area and don't match a disease indication, the healthy volunteer trials are the fastest path to enrollment.
Usona Institute (uAspire Trial)
Usona's Phase 3 uAspire trial is testing psilocybin for major depressive disorder (MDD) across ~240 participants at US sites. The trial has FDA Breakthrough Therapy Designation (2019). Apply through their site if you have a confirmed MDD diagnosis and are not currently on antidepressants.
UC Berkeley Clinical Trials Map
An interactive map of 170+ psychedelic clinical trials — active, recruiting, and completed — filterable by substance, phase, and status. Good for understanding the overall landscape before narrowing to specific sites.
MAPS (Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies)
MAPS sponsors the largest MDMA-assisted therapy research program. After FDA's August 2024 rejection of Lykos Therapeutics' NDA, MAPS is pursuing new MDMA trials including the first MDMA-assisted couples therapy study at Columbia University. Apply via mdmaptsd.org for PTSD-specific trials.
A trial-matching platform that aggregates psychedelic and mental health trials from ClinicalTrials.gov and direct partnerships. Complete a profile and get matched to open studies near you. Particularly useful for finding psilocybin and ketamine trials with local sites.
Psychedelic.Support — Trial List
A searchable, curated list of psychedelic trials organized by substance (psilocybin, MDMA, ketamine, ibogaine). Good secondary check after ClinicalTrials.gov to confirm the trial is still actively enrolling.
| Substance | Active trials (est.) | Main indications | Status snapshot (2026) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Psilocybin | 30+ | TRD, MDD, PTSD, alcohol use disorder, OCD, cluster headaches, ALS, cancer anxiety | COMPASS Phase 3 (COMP005 + COMP006): both met primary endpoints; NDA anticipated. Usona Phase 3 (uAspire) results pending. FDA Breakthrough Therapy designation ×2. |
| MDMA | 11+ | PTSD, trauma, couples therapy | FDA CRL issued August 2024; Lykos Therapeutics negotiating new Phase 3. MAPS pursuing new trials. No approval date confirmed. |
| Ketamine | Active (Schedule III) | TRD, MDD, suicidal ideation, PTSD, pain | Already FDA-approved (Spravato/esketamine). Ongoing comparator trials vs. psilocybin. No Schedule I barriers to enrollment. |
| Ibogaine | 12+ globally | Opioid use disorder, PTSD (veterans), TBI | Stanford Phase II: 71% opioid abstinence at 6 months (Jan 2026). Texas IMPACT Program: $50M state-funded multi-site. DemeRx Phase II/III for OUD active. |
| DMT / 5-MeO-DMT | 12+ | Depression, bipolar disorder, postpartum depression | Growing rapidly. GH Research's GH001 (5-MeO-DMT IV) has FDA Breakthrough Therapy Designation for TRD. |
| LSD | 6+ | Cluster headaches, neuroplasticity, healthy volunteer studies | Mind Medicine's MM120 (LSD d-tartrate) has FDA Breakthrough Therapy Designation for GAD. |
Total participation spans weeks to months. A typical two-session protocol runs 8–12 weeks with 10–20+ hours of in-person contact. Phase 1 healthy-volunteer studies sometimes involve overnight stays.
Compensation varies widely. Healthy-volunteer Phase 1 studies tend to pay the most — sometimes over $1,000 for an 8-week study with multiple dosing days. Phase 2/3 condition-specific trials often pay modest stipends per visit ($25–$75) plus travel reimbursement. Some offer no cash compensation but provide free therapy and study drug. Any compensation over $600 is reported to the IRS; you will receive a 1099 form.
Screening is thorough. These are the most common reasons people are excluded after initial interest. Review before applying to avoid wasted time on both sides.
Get notified when new trials open
We track psychedelic clinical trial openings across MDMA, psilocybin, ibogaine, and ketamine. One email when a new trial opens — no noise.
It depends on the trial. Phase 1 healthy-volunteer studies specifically recruit people without a psychiatric diagnosis — they are testing safety and tolerability in people with no condition. Phase 2 and Phase 3 trials almost always require a specific, confirmed diagnosis (e.g. treatment-resistant depression, PTSD, alcohol use disorder). The ClinicalTrials.gov entry for each trial lists exact inclusion criteria. Read them before applying.
Most Phase 2 and Phase 3 trials are randomized and controlled, meaning some participants receive a placebo or a very low dose. You typically will not know which arm you are in during the study. Some trials use an active comparator (e.g. low-dose psilocybin vs. full-dose psilocybin) rather than an inert placebo, which improves blinding. Phase 1 healthy-volunteer studies are more likely to give every participant the drug, since they are studying effects rather than efficacy.
Most trials require you to attend multiple in-person visits. Johns Hopkins, for example, prefers participants within driving distance of Baltimore. Some multi-site trials have sites in multiple cities, so it is worth checking whether a site near you is enrolling even if the lead institution is far away. Check the "Locations" section of each trial's ClinicalTrials.gov entry.
This varies significantly by trial and substance. Many psilocybin trials now allow stable SSRI use with certain conditions. Some require a 2–4 week medication washout before the dosing session. MAOIs are always excluded. Antipsychotics and lithium are always excluded. The safest approach is to list your medications honestly on the screening form and let the research team make the call — do not adjust medications on your own to try to qualify.
Research protocols include mandatory two-person monitoring throughout every dosing session, required integration therapy sessions afterward, and adverse event reporting procedures. Johns Hopkins also runs a public Integration Clinic for people experiencing difficulties after psychedelic use. If you are struggling after a trial, contact the principal investigator — you have ongoing rights as a research participant regardless of which arm you were in.
Yes. FDA-authorized clinical trials have explicit legal permission to administer Schedule I controlled substances to participants. The DEA grants Schedule I researcher registrations specifically for this purpose. Participating in an authorized trial is not a federal crime. However, the drug administered in the trial cannot leave the research site — it is not a prescription you can take home.
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