Bridging Psychedelics and Pharmaceuticals with Dr. Kristin Speer
What happens when science and spirit meet in the realm of medicine? In this episode, we sit down with Dr. Kristin Speer, PharmD, co-founder of the Psychedelic Pharmacists Association, to explore the future of safe, informed, and balanced use of psilocybin. She shares her groundbreaking work, including the development of the Psilocybin Interaction Checker, which helps identify and manage potential interactions between psilocybin and medications.
You’ll learn how Kristin is bridging the gap between pharmaceuticals and natural medicines, offering a “both-and” approach rather than an “either-or.” From tapering strategies and harm reduction to microdosing and right-sizing medication profiles, this conversation is packed with insights on how psychedelics and traditional medicine can coexist safely and effectively.
Listen to the Full Episode:
What You’ll Learn in Today’s Episode:
How psilocybin interacts with common medications.
Why harm reduction is essential in psychedelic use.
The role of pharmacists in psychedelic-informed care.
When and how to reassess medications.
Safe strategies for tapering off medications.
How microdosing can support tapering journeys.
The importance of personalized, patient-centered care.
Why “both-and” thinking benefits patients.
Future directions of psychedelic medicine.
Ideas Worth Sharing:
“We need to constantly check in and reassess whether or not these medications are doing good or not doing good and whether we can get along with an alternative.” - Dr. Kristin Speer
“The good news is that interactions don't necessarily mean that you can't combine them or you can't take medicine. What they usually mean is we need to be cautious.” - Dr. Kristin Speer
“I think that microdosing plays an important role for people who are getting benefit out of it, who feel like they could use a little bit of a crutch because tapering is not easy. It's really hard. The symptoms can be real. If done right, we're avoiding withdrawal, we're avoiding these difficult symptoms.” - Dr. Kristin Speer
