Quick clarification up front: I’m not claiming THC or LLMs “cure” PTSD or replace medical care.

This project is structured as a VA-aligned, evidence-tracking framework built around existing measurable outcomes (PHQ-9, GAD-7, PC-PTSD-5, sleep/stability metrics, treatment adherence). The THC component is observational only (state-legal use + self-reported tracking), and the LLM component is treated as an assistive documentation and cognitive-support tool, not a decision-making authority.

The goal is to make recovery and vocational rehabilitation more reproducible and measurable, and potentially create a path toward a legitimate IRB-supported study (PI sponsorship, proper consent, controls, etc.).

I’m posting here specifically because I expect pushback and want technical critique: study design flaws, ethics concerns, data integrity issues, and what would be required to make something like this publishable/replicable.

One of the reasons I’m posting this here is because I’m aware the “hard part” isn’t writing a proposal or building templates — it’s assembling the right human support structure.

For this to become a legitimate study (not just a personal framework), it clearly needs people with the right skill sets, such as:

a PI or clinical sponsor experienced with VA-style research pathways

IRB/ethics review guidance and study design oversight

someone with biostatistics / outcomes modeling experience

clinical input (sleep medicine, psychiatry/psychology, pain management)

a data governance/privacy model that can hold up under scrutiny

a realistic protocol for participant safety (especially around trauma triggers)

and an approach that avoids “LLM dependency” while still capturing usefulness

My current strength is building structure and documentation, but I’m actively looking for advice on what a real team would look like, and what minimum professional roles are required before anyone should even attempt to formalize this.

If anyone has experience with VA research programs, IRB navigation, or building small observational studies into publishable work, I’d appreciate any direction.