Psychedelics are here, now: preparing psychiatry for a psychedelic future
2024 set off to a strong start for psychedelic medicines with several watershed moments that are setting the stage for the sector’s acceleration – and the positive developments for the industry are continuing.
Recent years have seen an increasing amount of scientific evidence pointing to the potential of psychedelics as treatments for mental health conditions such as anxiety, depression, and PTSD. So far, this evidence has led countries such as Australia, Canada, and the US to allow special access to these medicines for select patients.
These developments may see psychedelics become part of psychiatric practice in the near future.
In a new article published in the British Journal of Psychiatry, researchers have emphasised the need for the psychiatry profession to prepare for a psychedelic future, and discuss how health systems might respond to these developments.
“Given the rapidly emerging body of evidence of efficacy for psilocybin and MDMA, people’s great need for innovative treatments and the move towards approval in some countries before licences are awarded, it seems likely that these two drugs will become a part of psychiatric practice for many in the foreseeable future. The psychiatry profession and practising psychiatrists need to prepare for this.”
READ MORE
