Australian regulators announced in February that psychiatrists will be able to: Prescribe psilocybin and MDMA as drugs For certain mental health conditions starting July 1 of this year. The move makes Australia the first country to approve her legal use of MDMA and psilocybin.
This is a major regulatory step forward, as medical interest in using psychedelic substances to treat mental illness has increased in recent years, and other countries, including the United States, have eased restrictions on the use of psychedelic substances.
“Australia is creating an interesting model that could pave the way for the rest of the world,” says Dr. Michael Alpert, a psychiatrist at Harvard Medical School who studies MDMA-assisted psychotherapy for PTSD. told ABC News.
Australia’s new rules Allowing MDMA to be prescribed for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and psilocybin for treatment-resistant depression (TRD). Several pivotal research studies have suggested the legitimacy of these therapies as new tools in the treatment of mental illness.
a Exams published in May 2021For example, MDMA (also known by the street names “Molly” and “Ecstasy”) has found that giving talk therapy to people suffering from PTSD can help. In this study, one group of people with PTSD received MDMA and talk therapy, and another group received the same talk therapy and a placebo.
Ultimately, 67% of the MDMA-supported therapy group lost their PTSD after three sessions compared to 32% of the placebo-treated group.
Experts believe MDMA helps with PTSD. Adjustment of fear and memory circuits Reinforces social behavior in the brain.
Psilocybin, the active ingredient in Magic Mushrooms, produces psychedelic effects by altering neurotransmitters in the body. Researchers believe it may help with depression by altering serotonin to create an interconnected positive mental state. It’s called a “mystical experience”. in research studies.
of 2021 trialpsilocybin performed similarly to the antidepressant escitalopram, with significantly improved health outcomes in the psilocybin group.
Many other governments, organizations, and companies view these findings favorably, speculating that FDA approval, marketing, and distribution of this new class of drugs may be imminent. increase.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services expects eventual FDA approval of MDMA and psilocybin treatments. letter from department May 2022.financial expert estimate The market for psychedelic treatments will soon reach billions of dollars.
Despite the promise of psychedelic drugs, they can also leave users vulnerable because their mental states change during treatment, said Alpert of Harvard Medical School.MDMA and psilocybin in Australia As prescribing is legalized, countries are actively thinking about ways to ensure adequate oversight and quality of care.
They specify that drugs may only be prescribed by a psychiatrist in a medically controlled environment. I need it. This includes pre-use medical and psychiatric evaluation, response monitoring, and supportive and integrated therapy.
“Australia would require clinicians to demonstrate some degree of familiarity with the handling of these substances, provide a sort of additional training requirement or perhaps some degree of clinical supervision at the start, and consider these treatments as standard of care. We need to provide accountability measures that identify the consequences, it’s a violation,” Alpert said.
No other country has legalized psychedelics for depression or PTSD, but others have taken steps to make it more accessible. Canada-approved MDMA Psilocybin for people suffering from “life-threatening mental illness” in 2022.Many South American countries including Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru Allowing legal framework Use of other psychedelics.
In the United States, many cities and states are taking steps to relax legal restrictions on psychedelics.the city of Denver, Colorado was the first to decriminalize psilocybin, eliminated legal penalties for possession in 2019. Other cities, including Santa Cruz, California and Cambridge, Massachusetts, will follow suit in 2021.
Oregon becomes the first state Decriminalize Psilocybin Legalize therapeutic use in 2020. Although drugs are not officially approved for medical use, states do issue permits to trained facilities to offer drug-based sessions. Colorado she passed similar guidelines in 2022.
Whether the US will follow Australia’s lead and lift restrictions on MDMA and psilocybin at the federal level remains to be determined. Researchers are still collecting data and regulatory systems are still developing to ensure psychedelics are safe, effective and can be administered responsibly.
Alpert said experts working in the field are watching closely how Australian policy develops.
“It will be interesting to see what Australia is doing to ensure patients receive a consistent standard of care when receiving these services. It’s key to ensuring access to life-saving treatment for diseases for which there are no better options,” he said.
Nicholas Nissen, MD is the author of the podcast “Brain Health with Dr. Nissen” and a contributor to ABC News Medical Unit.
