The VA's psilocybin trial for veterans has five sites, none in Florida

What is the VA's PIVOT trial?

VA announced PIVOT, short for Psilocybin Intervention for Veterans Overcoming Treatment-Resistant Depression, on Aug. 5, 2026 as a trial "to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of psilocybin to treat major depression in Veterans."² Its registry record, NCT07226232, lists the VA Office of Research and Development as sponsor, a Phase 3 design, an actual start date of Aug. 3, 2026 and an estimated 240 participants, with and without PTSD.¹

There's no placebo group. VA says the trial will "compare outcomes between two psilocybin dosage levels."² According to the registry, each veteran has three preparation visits with a facilitator, then two psilocybin sessions a month apart. The first session's dose is assigned at random and kept blind; at the second, everyone gets the same dose. Ratings follow 2 and 4 weeks after each session, with follow-up over six months.¹

The registry lists COMP360, Compass Pathways' synthetic psilocybin, as another name for the study drug, and names Lori L. Davis, MD, of the Birmingham VA Medical Center as principal investigator.¹ VA Secretary Doug Collins said, "Far too many Veterans are living with mental health conditions that don't respond to available treatments."²

Where are the five sites?

All five were marked recruiting at the record's Oct. 23 update:¹

• Birmingham VA Medical Center, Birmingham, Ala.
• Tuscaloosa VA Medical Center, Tuscaloosa, Ala.
• VA Portland Health Care System, Portland, Ore.
• Corporal Michael J. Crescenz VA Medical Center, Philadelphia
• VA Puget Sound Health Care System, Seattle Division, Seattle

Who can take part?

The registry's criteria include English-speaking U.S. military veterans ages 18 to 75 in a current major depressive episode who haven't responded well enough to at least two antidepressant treatments.¹ Veterans also need "a responsible adult who will provide transportation to the participant's home or place of lodging" on psilocybin days. Exclusions include a history of bipolar or psychotic disorders, recent psychedelic use, certain heart conditions and recent psychiatric hospitalization, among others.¹

Why it matters in Miami

A South Florida veteran who wants to join PIVOT would have to travel to one of the five sites, and more than once, given the preparation visits, two sessions and follow-up ratings.¹ The registry's criteria don't mention residency, and VA's announcement gives no separate sign-up route.² Each site's listing on the registry names study contacts, and whether a site will take a veteran from out of state is a question for them.

Florida's recent budgets haven't paid for a psilocybin trial for its veterans. A February 2025 Florida Senate funding request, with Jay Collins listed as Senate sponsor, sought $3,000,000 for USF Health "to conduct a clinical trial into the efficacy of Psilocybin as a treatment for PTSD in veterans."³ Neither the enacted 2025-26 budget nor the enacted 2026-27 budget mentions psilocybin.⁴⁷

Closer to home, Compass Pathways' Redefine trial for adults with PTSD lists a recruiting Miami site. It isn't limited to veterans, and screening decides who joins.⁵ Our Florida trials tracker lists other studies with Florida locations.