Oregon's first psilocybin therapy center charges 2800$ per session

Now that Oregon has decriminalized small amounts of psilocybin and authorized the first psilocybin therapy center in the United States, its pricing has been released. The costs, however, may come as a bit of a shock to some potential patients.

An individual psilocybin session using 2.5 grams will cost $2,800, while a 4-gram session will cost $3,500.

A «Level 1 microdose» session lasting 1 to 2 hours costs $500 per person; a «Level 2 microdose,» «low-dose,» and «medium-dose» session cost $800, $1,800, and $2,800, respectively, per person. More affordable group rates are also available.

Cost of psilocybin therapies

«There’s some flexibility depending on the number of services you want,» explains Cathy Jonas, owner of EPIC Healing Eugene, in a video posted on the company’s website. «We really want to make this a sustainable practice, because it was very expensive to set up and open, but we also want to serve people. We want to have fun serving people.»

These services will not be covered by health insurance plans.

Although hallucinogenic mushrooms remain illegal at the federal level, Oregon has approved psilocybin treatment centers late last year. In March, the government awarded a first license to produce psilocybin. In April, the Oregon health authority issued a license to Rose City Laboratories for the state’s first laboratory dedicated to testing psilocybin-based products. Oregon regulatory authorities announced last week that the first license for a psilocybin service center had been granted.

Too expensive?

Are these initial treatments too expensive? Psychedelic Spotlight, an online magazine dedicated to psychedelics, notes that to receive psilocybin treatment, a person must undergo screening and attend at least three preparatory sessions, as well as the treatment day and integration sessions. This treatment typically takes 18 to 25 hours in total, with therapists generally charging $150 to $200 per hour.

The cost of a moderate-dose psilocybin therapy session—which can reach $3,500—may seem daunting at first. However, it is important to compare these costs to current treatments for conditions such as depression, for example. Traditional treatments for depression can also be expensive. The average monthly cost of generic antidepressants is $62.50, while the cost of brand-name antidepressants can reach $487.75—or $750 and $5,853 per year. Even with insurance, there may be additional costs such as deductibles and copayments. Therapy sessions can also account for up to 50% of the total cost of treating depression, with each session costing about $100 per hour. And if inpatient care is needed, the cost can range from $6,000 to $8,000 per month.

By comparison, studies have shown that a single dose of Psilocybin could potentially relieve the symptoms of depression for a period of up to one year. Considering the potential long-term benefits of psilocybin therapy and the costs associated with traditional treatments, the current prices for psilocybin therapy may actually be reasonable.

The trial is also conducted in a safe, clinical setting. Patients can rest assured that the source of psilocybin is trustworthy and that the dosage will be carefully adjusted.