Menu
Start Here

Short-acting psychedelic

DMT: what the evidence shows

Short sessions, early but real signals in depression. DMT's effects last minutes rather than hours, which is why developers hope it could fit into a normal clinic visit.

Not an approved treatment for any condition yet.

Last reviewed 23 October 2026Re-checked every month2 conditions with published evidence

Is DMT legal where you live?See country-by-country rules on our Psychedelic Therapy Legality Map

Condition by condition

One card per condition, strongest evidence first. Hover or tap a label to see what it means; the numbers link to sources at the bottom of the page.

Treatment-resistant depression

Early research

Phase 2b fully dosed; results due by the end of 2026.

VLS-01, a buccal DMT film, is in a 156-person placebo-controlled Phase 2b trial in treatment-resistant depression. Dosing finished in July 2026; results are expected in Q4 2026.2

In a Brazilian open-label trial of 14 people, inhaled DMT cut depression scores by about 21 points within a week, and 8 of the 14 were in remission. Everyone knew they got DMT, and there was no placebo group.3

Compare every substance for treatment-resistant depression →

Keep reading

DMT Study Offers Hope In Fight Against DepressionIn a Phase 2 trial, one DMT session led to 29% remission at two weeks, versus 12% on placebo.Read the article Ayahuasca for Mental Health and Personal GrowthAyahuasca’s effects, benefits and risks, from depression and anxiety to personal growth.Read the article 5-MeO-DMT for Mental Health and TransformationHow 5-MeO-DMT works, effects and duration, therapeutic research, contraindications and legal status.Read the article Research databaseNew studies, summarisedHundreds of papers on psychedelics and mental health, each with a plain-language summary and key facts.Browse the database

Sources

Numbered in the order they appear above. We only use peer-reviewed papers, official company announcements (for trial status and topline results), regulators and trial registries.

  1. Erritzoe D et al. A short-acting psychedelic intervention for major depressive disorder: a phase IIa randomized placebo-controlled trial. Nat Med. 2026Journal
  2. AtaiBeckley press release, 6 July 2026Company release
  3. Falchi-Carvalho M, Palhano-Fontes F et al. Rapid and sustained antidepressant effects of vaporized N,N-dimethyltryptamine: a phase 2a clinical trial in treatment-resistant depression. Neuropsychopharmacology. 2025Journal