Michael Bogenschutz, M.D.
Director, NYU Langone Psychedelic Medicine Program
Led the landmark NYU psilocybin alcohol use disorder RCT — the first large randomized controlled trial of psilocybin for any substance use disorder.
Biography
Michael Bogenschutz is a psychiatrist and addiction specialist who directs the NYU Langone Psychedelic Medicine Program. His research focus is on using psychedelic-assisted therapy to treat substance use disorders, particularly alcohol use disorder.
His 2015 pilot study of psilocybin for alcohol dependence produced significant reductions in drinking. His 2022 randomized controlled trial (n=93, published in JAMA Psychiatry) is the first large RCT of psilocybin for any substance use disorder and demonstrated that psilocybin combined with Motivational Enhancement Therapy produced significantly better outcomes than an active placebo condition — with 83% reduction in heavy drinking days in the psilocybin group versus 51% in the placebo group.
Bogenschutz has also collaborated on palliative care research and is expanding his program to study psilocybin for opioid use disorder and stimulant use disorder. His work addresses one of the most pressing public health problems in the US, where substance use disorders kill tens of thousands annually.
Organizations
Why They Matter to the LearnShrooms Community
Bogenschutz's 2022 alcohol RCT is the gold standard controlled evidence for psilocybin in addiction treatment. Its rigorous design — randomized, double-blind, active placebo — and large effect size established addiction as one of the strongest indications for psychedelic-assisted therapy.
Legal Context
For the legal landscape where Michael Bogenschutz, M.D. operates, see psilocybin laws in New York.