The overall aim of the St Vincent’s Mental Health clinical trial stream is to advance mental health so that individuals living with mental health disorders are empowered to take control of their own healthcare and wellbeing.
At the heart of this effort is the Clinical Research Unit for Anxiety and Depression (CRUfAD) (https://crufad.org/ ), a joint facility of St Vincent’s Hospital Sydney and UNSW. Founded in 1964 by Professor Gavin Andrews, CRUfAD brings together clinical and research expertise to reduce the impact of anxiety and depressive disorders on individuals. Despite the availability of effective treatments, less than a quarter of people with anxiety and depression currently receive evidence-based care, even in wealthy countries.
CRUfAD’s focus is on exploring innovative approaches to psychotherapy, including the integration of technology and the use of novel pharmacological agents such as psychedelics. The team actively collaborates on digital mental health trials with a wide array of research institutes and health services across the nation and worldwide. Onsite at St Vincent’s Hospital Sydney, the team is currently conducting a trial in collaboration with the St Vincent’s Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology Department and the Black Dog Institute to assess the feasibility and safety of giving psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy to individuals with treatment-resistant depression who are concurrently taking psychotropic medications.
Enquiries: crufad.admin@svha.org.au
Team Members: Dr Alison Mahoney, Dr Elizabeth Mason, Dr Christine Shiner, Vanessa Dong, Associate Professor Jonathan Brett
