Nature. Mental healthMar 3, 2026

How income and education are reported in psychedelic clinical trials

Psychedelic Science Weekly Brief ↗PubMed ↗DOI ↗

Updated Jun 27, 2026

Abstract

Essence

Psychedelic-assisted therapy trials rarely reported socioeconomic status, and US trial samples appeared socioeconomically advantaged.

Evidence

This systematic review covered 98 trial-related articles from 2006 to 2024, including 49 primary trials and 49 secondary analyses of classic psychedelics and MDMA for mental health conditions.

Caveat

The review depends on what trials reported, with sparse income and education data and variable non-US patterns limiting generalizability.

Simplified

Socioeconomic status (SES) significantly influences mental health outcomes and treatment access, yet its reporting in psychedelic-assisted therapy trials remains underexplored. Here we systematically reviewed 98 articles (49 primary trials and 49 secondary analyses) published between 2006 and 2024 examining classic psychedelics and MDMA for mental health conditions. Only 12% of primary trials reported participant income data, and 31% reported educational attainment. In USA-based trials, participants showed markedly higher SES than the general population: 93% had some college education (versus 62% nationally), and median incomes in major trials substantially exceeded the national median for all workers. Non-US trials showed variable patterns. This widespread underreporting of SES data and evidence of socioeconomic disparities, particularly in US trials, highlights an urgent need for standardized SES reporting and targeted strategies to improve socioeconomic diversity in psychedelic-assisted therapy research, ensuring broader generalizability and access to these emerging treatments.