Our realizations
The P3A project involves several initiatives aimed at collectively reflecting on the acceptability and accessibility of psilocybin-assisted therapy in the context of palliative and end-of-life care in Quebec.
To come – P3A Forum
The P3A Forum will be held on March 22nd, 2024, at the Clarendon Hotel in Quebec City.
This invitation-only event will bring together various actors involved in palliative and end-of-life care in Quebec.
The P3A Forum aims to provide an overview of the challenges related to accessing psilocybin-assisted therapy for alleviating existential distress. Its ultimate goal is to propose recommendations that establish guidelines for the therapeutic use of psilocybin within the Quebec medical-legal context.
Pan-canadian survey
Our team conducted a pan-Canadian survey involving 2,800 participants between November 23rd and December 4th, 2022, focusing on perceptions, attitudes, and concerns regarding psilocybin-assisted therapy and potentially associated factors.
The survey reveals that nearly 4 out of 5 Canadians believe that the use of psilocybin, the active ingredient in hallucinogenic mushrooms, is an acceptable medical approach to treat existential distress in patients suffering from serious and incurable disease. The main objective of the survey was to measure the degree of social acceptability of this intervention when delivered by healthcare professionals.
This study was carried out as part of Louis Plourde’s doctoral research at Université Laval’s Faculty of Pharmacy.
Our team surveyed 1,000 residents of Québec and 1,800 residents of Ontario, Alberta and British Columbia to find out their opinion on the potential easing of rules surrounding the medical use of psilocybin. Analysis of their answers shows that 79% of respondents consider psilocybin-assisted therapy a reasonable medical choice to treat existential distress in patients at the end of life.
The survey indicate that support for psilocybin is higher among respondents who have already been exposed to palliative care and among respondents who have already used psilocybin.
World Cafe
The P3A World Cafe took place on April 24th, 2023, at Laval University in Quebec City.
This participatory consultation activity aimed to bring together healthcare professionals working in palliative and end-of-life care for a friendly exchange on the issues of acceptability and access to psilocybin-assisted therapy in Quebec.
The event began with a keynote speech by Dr. Jean-François Stephan, a member of the P3A team, on the topic of “Access to Psilocybin for End-of-Life Distress.” Attendees had the opportunity to learn more about psilocybin-assisted therapy and the associated challenges from the perspective of a treating physician.
The World Cafe held on April 24th took place at the Jardin des Décanats of the Ferdinand-Vandry Pavilion at Laval University.
During the World Café, healthcare professionals had the opportunity to engage in small group discussions on the topics of acceptability and access to psilocybin-assisted therapy in Quebec. In total, nearly 40 individuals from various professions and regions of Quebec, including members of the research team, attended the event. The data collected during the World Café are currently being analyzed and will be the subject of Marianne Masse-Grenier’s master’s thesis, under the supervision of Professor Michel Dorval.
Our publications
The P3A project team contributes to research through publications in scientific journals and magazines.