FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Deva Collective Announces IRB-Approved Perimenopause Study and Launch of Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy Research for Postpartum Depression

Oakland, CA — April 2027 — Deva Collective, a nonprofit research organization advancing ethical psychedelic science for women’s health, announces two major milestones: the Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval of its Perimenopause Microdosing Study and, in honor of this upcoming Mother’s Day, the launch of their Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy (KAP) Study for Postpartum Depression, centering the mental health and wellbeing of new mothers.

“Attitudes, Opinions and Experiences of Perimenopausal Women Who Microdose San Pedro,” is one of the first IRB-approved investigations in the U.S. to examine how microdosed San Pedro cactus may impact emotional regulation, cognition, trauma symptoms, and quality of life during the perimenopausal transition. Despite affecting tens of millions of women, perimenopause remains one of the least-researched stages of women’s health—particularly in relation to mood, identity, and embodied distress.

Alongside this, Deva Collective has begun operations for its ketamine-assisted psychotherapy study focused on postpartum depression, a condition affecting approximately one in seven birthing people and carrying significant risks for maternal and infant wellbeing. The study integrates ketamine-assisted psychotherapy with licensed clinical oversight, trauma-informed care, and integration support.

“These studies reflect a new paradigm for psychedelic research—one that centers women’s lived experience, safety, and dignity,” said Melissa Whippo, LCWS, Founder of Deva Collective. “We are building the clinical and ethical infrastructure needed to ensure these medicines are studied not just for efficacy, but for how they are held, integrated, and woven into real lives.”

Call for Perimenopause Participants:

Women currently microdosing San Pedro during perimenopause are invited to participate in Deva Collective’s confidential, IRB-approved research survey. This study seeks to better understand how plant-based microdosing is being used in the real world and how it may support mood, nervous system regulation, and life transitions. For more information and eligibility, visit devacollective.org/san-pedro-for-perimeno.

To support this work, Deva Collective has released a Fundraising Deck outlining its three-year research roadmap, including IRB compliance, clinical partnerships, participant care, secure data systems, and the publication of its findings.

The organization is seeking fiscal partners who recognize that women deserve research that reflects their bodies, transitions, and complex lived realities. Leadership-level gifts will directly fund participant support, clinician supervision, data analysis, and the continuation of IRB-approved psychedelic studies focused on women’s mental and emotional health.

All donations are tax-deductible under Deva’s fiscal sponsorship with the Chacruna Institute. Chacruna Institute produces rigorous academic research on plant medicines and psychedelics and translates that work into accessible public education, fostering cultural understanding and legitimacy to reduce stigma and support more informed, equitable policies.

Media, clinicians, and prospective donors are invited to learn more about Deva Collective’s work at www.devacollective.org.

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About Deva Collective

Deva Collective is a nonprofit research organization dedicated to advancing ethical, trauma-informed psychedelic science for women’s health through IRB-approved studies, clinical partnerships, and community-rooted research models.

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