After many years on the fringe of medical research, hallucinogens have borne some promising fruit in recent patient trials.

Retired clinical psychologist Dr Clark Martin tried (without success) many of the conventional treatments for depression, such as counselling and antidepressants, as he fought through chemotherapy and other taxing treatments for kidney cancer. Nothing seemed to be of any lasting benefit until his first experience of psychedelia, at age 65. 

The treatment involved psilocybin, a psychoactive ingredient in certain kinds of mushrooms. For many years consciousness-enhancing chemicals like this have been regarded as dangerous drugs for ageing hippies. But now US scientists are tuning in again. Keeping to rigorous safeguards and protocols, scientists have gained permission to study their medical and research potential. 

Dr Martin was administered the hallucinogen, and lay for six hours on a couch with an eye mask on, listening to classical music. He says this helped him to beat depression and transform his relationships with his daughter and friends. 

Although the encouraging results are preliminary and on a very small scale, researchers are gathering in San Jose, Calif. for the largest conference on psychedelic science in four decades. 

Reactions to hallucinogens can vary significantly depending on the setting, so experimenters and review boards have designed comfortable environments with experts nearby to monitor behavioural responses to the drugs and adverse reactions. ~ New York Times, Apr 11