MAPS Canada’s volunteer Research Committee leads our efforts to support multidisciplinary psychedelic research in Canada, including raising funds for Canadian research studies on psychedelic-assisted therapies, interpreting research and educating the public, and conducting our own research studies.

Our goal is to ensure that MAPS Canada is always presenting factual, evidence-based information about psychedelic science. MAPS Canada is currently working towards leading our own research study for the first time in our organization’s history.

Thanks to your generosity, MAPS Canada has financially supported one ongoing healthcare practice/research study, one ongoing Phase 3 clinical trial, one pending Phase 1 clinical trial, and one pending Phase 2 clinical trial to date.

GOALS FOR PSYCHEDELIC RESEARCH

Meet our Research Committee Lead

RESEARCH PRIORITY AREAS

MAPS Canada will consider fundraising for, funding, sponsoring, or otherwise supporting multidisciplinary scientific research on psychedelics in one or more of the following priority areas:

Research that is Canadian-led and focuses on Canadian populations, with a focus on underserved populations, including but not limited to: 

    • Indigenous issues and colonization
    • First Nations, racialized communities, LGBTQIA2S+ representation
    • Aging populations  
    • Western vs. traditional modalities
    • Canadian veterans & first responders
    • Cultural & spiritual uses
    • Canadian legal regulatory frameworks
    • Multicultural focus in psychotherapy including integration
    • Harm reduction of psychedelics

Mental Health

  • Intergenerational trauma/racial trauma
  • ACE
  • Depression
  • PTSD
  • COVID aftermath
  • End-of-life issues
  • Eating disorders
  • Psychedelic wellness
  • Secondary to other indications, e.g., Cancer, brain injury

Relationships

  • Couples therapy

Substance Use 

  • Drug poisoning crisis
  • Substance use disorder

Ethics & Safety 

  • Qualitative research around frameworks
  • Creating safety in the underground
  • Sexual abuse in psychedelic spaces

Areas of Research Focus

  • Meta-Analysis of existing psychedelic research
  • Health economics
  • Gender/gender narratives 
  • Equity & access

Legal Analysis 

  • Human rights
  • Regulatory frameworks
  • Policy
  • Criminalization
  • Existential transitions

Synthetic 

  • MDMA
  • Psilocybin
  • Ketamine (Approved, Legal)
  • 5-MEO DMT
  • 3-MMC
  • LSD

Natural 

  • Psilocybin
  • Kava
  • LSA
  • Kratom
  • Mescaline (San Pedro, Peyote)
  • 5-MEO DMT (Bufo)
  • Cannabis

Governing policies that include Justice, equity, diversity, inclusion, ethics, safety and risk mitigation

RESEARCH CRITERIA

At MAPS Canada we use a research criteria decision matrix to assess which research projects we will consider partnering with and/or funding via fundraising. Some of the factors we consider are:

RESEARCH ETHICS STATEMENT

MAPS Canada is committed to the following principles in an effort to maximize the benefit of its research to society while minimizing harm:

  • MAPS Canada research is designed and implemented in accordance with research regulations, Good Clinical Practice standards, and the ethical principles set forth by the Declaration of Helsinki. We encourage all partners to adhere to the North Star Ethics Pledge and the Tri-Council Policy.
  • All original research proposals and accompanying materials must be approved by an external Research Ethics Board (REB).
  • Participation in MAPS Canada studies is entirely voluntary. All participants in MAPS Canada studies are asked to provide informed consent and are able to withdraw their consent at any time for any reason without penalty.
  • In order to protect the privacy of research participants, data collected as part of MAPS Canada studies are de-identified and results made available in aggregate form only (i.e., individual data will not be shared).
  • MAPS Canada ensures that any research supported by our organization is aligned with our research priorities.

Join our Research Committee

CURRENT & PAST RESEARCH SUPPORTED

MAPS Canada SAP Research Study

An Exploratory Study of the Determinants Impacting Access (EXPAND Study)

2022 to present – Not Yet Recruiting

Roots To Thrive

Healthcare practice and research study

2022 to present – Recruiting

Roots to Thrive is Canada’s first and only multidisciplinary, non-profit healthcare practice to legally offer evidence-informed, multi-week, group therapy programs that include psilocybin-assisted and ketamine-assisted group therapy sessions.

Working with stakeholders in Vancouver Island Health and Health Canada, Roots to Thrive provides multi-week, virtual mental healthcare programs (which include in-person psilocybin-assisted and ketamine-assisted therapy sessions) for physician-referred patients experiencing a range of diagnoses including but not limited to PTSD; treatment-resistant depression; eating disorders; substance use disorder; OCD; and end-of-life distress within an evidence-based, decolonized, and equity-informed community of practice group therapy model.

Publications to date
https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2021.803279/full

MAPS Canada’s Role
MAPS Canada is supporting Roots to Thrive through fundraising and communications to promote decolonization and reconciliation in its delivery of community-based, psychedelic medicine-assisted therapies, research, and training of healthcare professionals.

LEARN MORE

A Treatment Development Study of MDMA-Assisted Psychotherapy for PTSD

Phase 3 Clinical Trial

2021 to present – Recruiting

This study is designed to provide information on whether the drug MDMA, combined with Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT), is safe and helpful for people with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). PTSD is a serious debilitating disorder that negatively impacts a person’s daily life, and can result in diminished functioning, fractured relationships, inability to maintain employment, substance abuse, depression, and suicide risk. People who suffer from PTSD relive their traumatic experience(s) through nightmares and flashbacks, have difficulty sleeping, and feel detached or estranged.

This is a pilot study exploring CPT integrated with MDMA-assisted psychotherapy for treatment of PTSD. This study will enroll 10 participants diagnosed with PTSD, who will undergo a 2-month course of psychotherapy that includes CPT integrated with MDMA-assisted psychotherapy. Participants will go through CPT sessions, and two doses of MDMA will be used as an adjunct to psychotherapy. Since this is the first time that CPT is being combined with individual MDMA-assisted psychotherapy for PTSD, the researchers are interested in gathering preliminary information about the blending of these two therapeutic approaches.

Sponsor : Dr. Anne Wagner, Remedy Institute

Clinical Trials Information https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT05067244?term=Cognitive+Processing+Therapy+MDMA&draw=2&rank=1

MAPS Canada’s Role : MAPS Canada raised $100,000 CDN which was donated directly to Remedy Institute for this research.

A Multi-Site Study of MDMA-Assisted Psychotherapy for Eating Disorders (MED1)

Phase 1 Clinical Trial

2020 to present - Not Yet Recruiting

A randomized trial of couples treatment for PTSD. Remedy Institute anticipates receiving approval to begin this trial in the fall of 2022.

Publication
Related information published prior to this study: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34858270/

Sponsor : Dr. Anne Wagner, Remedy Institute

MAPS Canada’s Role : MAPS Canada raised $200,000 CDN which was donated directly to Remedy Institute for this research.

A Treatment Development Study of MDMA-Assisted Psychotherapy for PTSD

Phase 3 Clinical Trial

2021 to present – Recruiting

This Phase 2, open-label, multi-site study will explore the safety and feasibility of 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA)-assisted psychotherapy and adjunctive caregiver involvement in the treatment of 18 participants with eating disorders. The study will enroll 12 participants with anorexia nervosa restricting-type (AN-R) and six participants with binge eating disorder (BED). A supportive caregiver, such as a parent or partner, for each participant will also be recruited to participate in the study and receive non-drug psychotherapy support. The study will consist of Preparatory Sessions, Experimental Sessions of MDMA-assisted psychotherapy, as well as Individual and Dyadic Integrative Sessions.

Sponsor : Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies

Publication :  N/A

MAPS Canada’s Role : MAPS Canada raised $100,000 CDN which was donated directly to Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies for this research.