One of the world’s most respected media outlets, the BBC, has commissioned an hour-long programme dedicated to following a groundbreaking psychedelics for depression study.

The programme, titled The Psychedelic Drug Trial: A Cure for Depression, follows Imperial College London’s study which puts psilocybin head-to-head with a conventional antidepressant.

Imperial’s trial is led by Professor David Nutt, Dr Robin Carhart-Harris and Dr Rosalind Watts. The study, which has 59 participants, compares the efficacy of psilocybin versus escitalopram: a popular SSRI.

Grain Media, commissioned by BBC Two to produce the programme, has obtained exclusive access to the trial, filming the piece over 16 months.

BBC’s Head of Commissioning, Science and Natural History, Jack Bootle explains his personal interest in the subject: “I’ve long suspected that psychedelic drugs – if used safely and correctly – have the potential to transform mental health, so I’m fascinated to see how this trial unfolds.