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Comment by ogoldhill | Hacker News Reader

Hi, I'm the author of the article. Thanks for reading, and if anyone has questions, I'm happy to answer them.

I found your article very interesting. Thank you very much. One question I had is what and how COMPASS obtained their IP. Surely “distillation” of the psychoactive substance is widely known? It would be a bit like me trying to patent pancake mixture.

You're right - so Compass the for-profit has only filed an application for patent. But it's likely they're trying to patent a method of manufacturing the compound, rather than the compound itself (which, as you say, is publicly know.) As for the IP owned by Compass the non-profit, they didn't respond to comments on what that is, so it's not clear what exactly it entails.

Thanks. I also really appreciate the opportunity to ask questions of a writer whose (very well written) essay one has just read. I have a feeling their patent application will be blocked because the process was not COMPASS’s to begin with. It seems that third parry experts in your article provided them with this knowledge - and it would be abuse of the patent system for them to claim property rights over something not theirs. It’s a bit like inviting yourself round to a neighbour’s barbecue and then filing for property rights over their garden. Well I hope that’s the case!

Are we speculating that the patent filed is on the process for production? Any references here?

Just want to say thanks for this diligent and extensive piece of journalism, as someone who has encountered these people before and felt something was up without knowing what.

What are the downsides of legalizing Psilocybin and/or using it for treating depression?

Disclaimer: I'm pro-legalization.

I think the only downside of legalizing it will be increasing the number of users, and therefor the number of possible bad trips/stupid actions while high.

Being that we let ~88K die in the US due to alcohol, I think we can handle that a couple dozen misadventures from shrooms as well.

I think psilocybin is a great drug to test legalization and it's effect on recreational usage. If I had to guess, I think there would be an initial increase in psilocybin use. Though, over time I think it would decrease back to a number slightly more than today. More than just usage, it would be interesting to see its impact on crime, dui, 'addiction', etc. Just maybe this would lead to a more rational view of drug use and further drug legalization.

> test legalization and it's effect on recreational usage

I'd assume that we have a lot of data with cannabis now. I'm guessing that it is a significant net win.

Drug use is so demonized that it will take a lot of time and easily messaged education to change that.

At the moment, there's nowhere near enough research yet to know the potential downsides of using psilocybin to treat depression. So far, there's only been one study with 19 participants and no control group. It could be hugely successful or, as with any drug, it could come with possible side effects.

What would be the scientific usefulness of a control group? It's my understanding that the effect could not reasonably be confused with placebo. There are plenty of other studies on treatment of depression; although, there is always the slight risk of a general societal upwelling of good feelings or its complement.

Psilocybin treatment is given in a therapist's office in conjunction with therapy so, yes, there could well be very positive effects for patients having that therapy experience with a placebo.

Only one study on psilocybin? Globally? Ever? That's kinda amazing; not even studies in v long-term [mental] health of [former] users?

Edit: Google Scholar shows hundreds of studies, one on the first page (for me) has >700 citations.

On humans using regular consumption? Such research is notoriously hard to get funding and materials for - much easier on animal models, in the US at least. There's a reason much of the current research (which is still too little) into psychedelics is done outside the US.

Can the U.S. (or companies/groups/organizations) within use those outside studies to justify things like this? Or is there some requirement that they be conducted here?

One study on psilocybin as a treatment for depression! Not on psilocybin overall. Link to the one existing study is in my article.

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