On Friday, February 3, Australia’s Drugs watchdog announced that two psychedelic substances– Mdma and psilocybin– will soon be utilized for the treatment of depression and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
MDMA is commonly referred to as “ecstasy,” whereas psilocybin is known as “magic mushrooms.” During the 1960s, these drugs were at the center of counter-culture movements and were ultimately banned.
However, in recent decades, the two psychedelic substances have re-entered the limelight, with scientists hoping they could serve new clinical purposes– treating disorders such as addiction, anxiety, depression, and PTSD.
So, starting in July, psychiatrists in Australia will have the ability to prescribe both substances to patients.
This move came after the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) found “sufficient evidence for potential benefits in certain patients.”
Right now, the drugs are currently “prohibited substances” in Australia and can only be utilized in clinical trials that are closely controlled.
However, TGA recently announced that both MDMA and psilocybin were found to be “relatively safe” when administered to patients in a medical setting. The administration also said that the drugs, which resulted in an “altered state of consciousness,” may help patients.
According to many scientists like Mike Musker, a suicide prevention and mental health researcher at the University of South Australia, this move is exciting and has been “long-awaited.”
“There are many people in the community experiencing PTSD and depression, particularly army veterans and people who have worked in emergency services where standard psychiatric drugs have not worked and offer no relief,” Musker said.
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He also explained how since both MDMA and psilocybin help “reduce inhibitions,” they could allow people to process difficult memories and images.
Still, come July, the drugs will be limited for use only among patients with depression and PTSD. However, advocates of the drugs hope that MDMA and psilocybin will one day be legalized for treatment among various other patients– including those affected by alcohol dependence, eating disorders, and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).
This push in Australia came after authorities in the United States and Canada legalized the medical use of psilocybin and MDMA.
In July 2022, a letter from the U.S. Health and Human Services Department also revealed that the Biden administration “anticipates” that the FDA will approve MDMA and psilocybin for designated breakthrough therapies for depression and PTSD within two years.
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