New psychedelic trial to test whether hallucinogenic drug can help cure smoking addiction
7 News, 13 November, 2022
The US National Institutes of Health has awarded a grant to scientists at Johns Hopkins University, in the first offer of its kind in half a century.
The study, a randomised controlled trial expected to start later this year, will investigate whether psilocybin, the psychedelic compound found in “magic mushrooms”, can help people quit smoking tobacco.
The Business Trip
The Weekend Australian Magazine, 13 November, 2022
A luxe psychedelic retreat for high-flying corporate types? Will Pavia is all in
Colorado Voted to Decriminalize Psilocybin and Other Psychedelics
Time, 11 November, 2022
Colorado voters have approved the broadest psychedelic legalization in the U.S., which would decriminalize five psychedelic substances and enable adults to receive psychedelics at licensed centers. The Associated Press called the vote for the measure, Proposition 122, on Friday morning; 92% of the votes were in as of 11 a.m., with 52.3% of voters in favor.
Researchers experiment with psychedelics to treat post-traumatic stress disorder
7.30, ABC, 09 November, 2022
There are some effective therapies for people suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder, but they don’t work for everyone and with as many as one million Australians living with PTSD, the search for new treatments is gathering steam.
It’s driving a re-examination of treatments involving psychedelic drugs as James Elton reports.
With Promise of Legalization, Psychedelic Companies Joust Over Future Profits
The New York Times, 25 October, 2022
Start-ups are filing scores of patent claims on psychedelics such as psilocybin.
The world's first Phase 3 psilocybin clinical trial is about to commence
New Atlas, 25 October, 2022
The world’s first Phase 3 human trial for day psilocybin therapy with psychological support due to commence by the end of 2022. The trial will enroll close to 1,000 participants and Compass is looking to FDA approval by the end of 2025.
Shroom A Magic Cure
Herald Sun, 24 October, 2022
Melbourne team makes anorexia breakthrough.
Professor Arthur Christopoulos speaks at Academy of Law and Academy of Science Joint Symposium
Academy of Law and Academy of Science Joint Symposium, 18 October, 2022
Yesterday, Professor Arthur Christopoulos, Dean of the Faculty of Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical Sciences, and inaugural Director of the Neuromedicines Discovery Centre at Monash University, spoke at the Academy of Law and Academy of Science Joint Symposium.
He spoke of the vast divide between science and the law, in reference to the scheduling of medicines, and particularly focusing on psilocybin and MDMA. As the TGA finalises the interim decision on the rescheduling of these medicines, it would be important to keep his words in mind.
Psychedelic Medicine Is Going Beyond PTSD and Depression
Lucid News, 13 October, 2022
Though psychedelic treatments for a few major indications get all the headlines, there are many more conditions that psychedelic treatments are being investigated for.
Psychedelics are Exploding in the Startup Community as Founders Say it Makes Them Better Leaders
FortuneWell , 06 October, 2022
Ayahuasca’s effects may feel like “talk therapy on steroids” because the hallucinations reveal what many interpret as a deeper truth about themselves, their life, or life in general. Often called ayahuasca “teachings,” these visions may provide the type of self-awareness critical to being a good leader. Business leadership research shows that when leaders can regulate their own negative emotional responses, they can better identify their team’s needs and provide them the encouragement or motivation they need.
Kiwi trial to investigate psilocybin and treatment-resistant depression
NZ Herald, 28 September, 2022
A new trial is set to look into whether psilocybin could provide effective treatment for those with severe depression.
Researchers Studying Psychedelic Drug as Treatment for Alzheimer’s Disease
High Times, 21 September, 2022
A Toronto-based biotech company is studying a psychedelic drug based on DMT as a treatment for Alzheimer’s disease with a Phase ll clinical trial in Argentina.
Mushrooms for meds: Psychedelics are changing treatment ways in Israel
Y Net News, 16 September, 2022
Ecstasy for PTSD and ketamine for long-term depression – is this game changer set to revolutionize mental health treatment in Israel and elsewhere?
Is the Serotonin Hypothesis about Depression Wrong?
Amen Clinics, 30 August, 2022
For over 30 years of clinical practice, Amen Clinics has been saying that a serotonin imbalance may be present in some people with depression, but it is not the only cause of depressive symptoms. Depression is not just one thing. Find out the seven causes of depression that aren’t related to serotonin.
Psilocybin Study To Investigate the Serotonin System in Autism
Technology Networks, 07 September, 2022
Technology Networks spoke to Tobias Whelan, PhD student at King’s College London and research scientist at COMPASS Pathways, who is conducting the study, to learn more about this first-ever mechanistic study of psilocybin in autistic adults.
Psychedelic Drugs Take On Depression
Nature Briefing , 24 August, 2022
Mind-altering drugs might provide relief for those who don’t respond to conventional therapies — but does the hype outweigh the hope? What is clear is that new therapies are urgently needed. The coronavirus pandemic has left more people in mental distress than ever before. Psychedelics offer the possibility of relief for people who have no other options.
'Magic mushroom' psychedelic may help heavy drinkers quit
ABC News, 25 August, 2022
Psilocybin helped heavy drinkers cut back or quit entirely in the most rigorous test of psilocybin for alcoholism.
Psychedelic Drug Therapy a Breakthrough for Alcohol Dependence?
Medscape, 24 August, 2022
Psilocybin paired with psychotherapy is associated with a robust and sustained decrease in drinking among adults with alcohol use disorder (AUD), new research suggests.
The long history of psychedelics in religion, from ergot-spiked wine to magic mushrooms
ABC News, 21 August, 2022
In the last century, psychedelics have gone from being at the cutting edge of medical science, to a symbol of the 1960s counterculture, and back again.
The Need For 100,000 Psychedelic Facilitators Is Real
LA Weekly, 03 August, 2022
The experts are pretty sure it’s going to take 100,000 psychedelic facilitators for the new industry to provide treatment to the masses.
Canadian patients fighting for psilocybin access sue federal government
National Post, 02 August, 2022
‘This is the landmark case that is going to legalize psychedelics in Canada’
Restrictions on Psilocybin ‘Magic Mushrooms’ Are Easing as Research Ramps Up
Scientific American, 01 August, 2022
Here’s how the psychedelic substance’s legal status has been shifting.
Biden administration plans for legal psychedelic therapies within two years
The Intercept, 27 July, 2022
A letter from the Health and Human Services Department discloses the anticipated FDA approval of MDMA and psilocybin treatments.
Major health insurer opens door to psychedelic drugs
The Australian, 26 July, 2022
Health insurer says psychedelics’ medicinal potential is ‘extraordinary’ amid growing evidence MDMA and psilocybin can be used to treat some mental illnesses.
Microdosing: Scientists tackle psychedelic trend becoming ‘creative enhancer of choice’
The Age, 23 July, 2022
Microdosing is a different way of consuming psychedelic medicines, which involves regularly taking small amounts of a psychedelic.
Biotech Check Up: US FDA approves first clinical trial of naturally derived psychedelic drugs
The Australian, 21 July, 2022
In a groundbreaking development, the US FDA has just approved a clinical trial studying the effects of naturally derived psychedelic medicines.
Brains, genes and chemical imbalances – how explanations of mental illness affect stigma
The Conversation, 20 July, 2022
For three decades, people have been deluged with information suggesting that depression is caused by a “chemical imbalance” in the brain – namely an imbalance of a brain chemical called serotonin. However, our latest research review shows that the evidence does not support it.
Psychedelics for mental health treatment
ABC Nightlife, 11 July, 2022
Writer Michael Pollan discusses how psychedelics are being used now and into the future, to successfully treat people with a range of disorders, addictions and mental illnesses.
Can microdosing psychedelics improve your mental health? Here's what the science says
ABC News, 03 July, 2022
Early results from trials on the therapeutic potential of large doses (macrodosing) of psychedelics have been promising.
Psychedelics Give a Glimpse of Enlightenment
Psychology Today, 03 July, 2022
Our brains may be filters that are inhibiting us from experiencing reality.
Mark Turner MLA speaks at the Legislative Assembly of the Northern Territory
Mark Turner MLA: Member for Blain , 28 June, 2022
Mark Turner MLA advocates for access to psychedelic-assisted psychotherapies at the Legislative Assembly of the Northern Territory.
ACT government agrees to decriminalise small amounts of illicit drugs, such as ice, heroin and cocaine
ABC News, 09 June, 2022
The ACT is set to become the first Australian jurisdiction to decriminalise small amounts of commonly used illicit drugs, such as ice, heroin, cocaine and speed.
‘As legal as garlic’: High times in Thailand as marijuana is decriminalised
The Sydney Morning Herald, 08 June, 2022
Thailand will on Thursday become the first country in Asia to effectively legalise marijuana in a landmark move its government hopes will supercharge its wellness and tourism industries and generate as much as 10 billion baht ($400 million) per year.
How psychedelic drugs might treat depression
BBC, 07 June, 2022
Hallucinogenic mushrooms have shown promise for their medical benefits, but we are only now beginning to understand how they might help to treat depression.
New Study To Evaluate Psilocybin’s Therapeutic Potential On Autistic Adults
Neuroscience News, 04 June, 2022
A new study will explore how psilocybin affects different networks and serotonin function in the brains of autistic adults.
Psychedelic retreats target stressed-out corporate executives
Australian Financial Review, 02 June, 2022
New businesses are focusing on jurisdictions where drugs such as psilocybin and ketamine are legal, betting they’ll be able to expand when more places decriminalise popular substances.
‘We spark curiosity’: how the psychedelics industry is taking on Davos
The Guardian, 01 June, 2022
The Psychedelic House of Davos, a satellite event happening in conjunction with the World Economic Forum, was a ‘genius strategy’ to build credibility, say experts.
A Balm for Psyches Scarred by War
The New York Times, 29 May, 2022
MDMA-assisted treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder “represents real hope for long-term healing,” health experts say.
Israeli company reveals nasal spray of psychedelic mushrooms
Al-Monitor, 09 May, 2022
Madrigal Mental Care says the spray treats post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety and other mental challenges. Some experts believe magic mushrooms have health benefits, though they come with risks.
COMP360 psilocybin therapy shows potential in exploratory open-label studies for anorexia nervosa and severe treatment-resistant depression
Globe News Wire, 03 May, 2022
Positive early signals seen in two investigator-initiated studies presented at the Society of Biological Psychiatry Annual Meeting in New Orleans.
Trending Clinical Topic: Psychedelics
MedScape, 22 April, 2022
A new study examined changes in specific neurotransmitter systems and brain regions that may be responsible for various experiences associated with a psychedelic “trip”.
Australian researchers trialling magic mushroom active ingredient as antidepressant
9 News, 27 April, 2022
Sydney researchers are testing psilocybin as an alternative to antidepressants.
GoDaddy Billionaire Bob Parsons Believes Psychedelics Can Heal Trauma—And He’s Putting His Money (And Brain) On The Line
Forbes, 17 April, 2022
The Marine infantryman still suffers from PTSD from his tour in Vietnam but credits LSD and MDMA with helping him “come home.” Now he’s on a mission to help other veterans.
‘Magic mushrooms’ for PTSD therapy? Vets help sway conservatives
LA Times, 16 April, 2022
Matthew Butler spent 27 years in the Army, but it took a day in jail to convince him that his post-traumatic stress disorder was out of control.
Mushrooms’ magic compound latest hope to relieve depression
The Australian, 12 April, 2022
Early tests show lasting effects of brain ‘rewiring’ following controlled ‘trips’
Psychedelic frees up depressed brain, study shows
BBC News, 12 April, 2022
Psilocybin appears to free up the brains of people with severe depression in a way that other antidepressants do not, a study has found.
What the science says about microdosing
Australian Financial Review, 08 April, 2022
Scientists have insight into what happens when someone takes enough psychedelics to experience hallucinogenic effects. But little research has been conducted on the effects of small doses.
6 terminally ill cancer patients in Canada received doses of the psychoactive substance found in 'magic' mushrooms after authorities eased rules
Business Insider, 07 April, 2022
Six terminally ill cancer patients in Canada received the country’s first legally produced psilocybin under new rules about access to the substance.
Psychedelics may ease cancer patients’ depression, anxiety
Washington Post, 02 April, 2022
Evidence indicates that psychedelics could reduce the end-of-life anxiety that many cancer patients experience.
The Next Big Addiction Treatment
New York Times, 31 March, 2022
Psilocybin combined with therapy is emerging as one of the most effective psychedelic therapies.
Why microdosing is gaining momentum in Australia
Australian Financial Review, 24 March, 2022
Microdosing psychedelic drugs has been a trend in Silicon Valley that’s taking off here. But does a micro trip help you make better decisions at work?
Read the full PDF article here.
LSD, a future anti-anxiety pill?
McGill University Health Centre, 18 March, 2022
A study conducted by Gabriella Gobbi, MD, Professor and Head of the Neurobiological Psychiatry Unit in the Department of Psychiatry, and her team demonstrates for the first time that regular administration of low doses of LSD (lysergic acid diethylamide) reduces anxiety symptoms through neurobiological mechanisms that are similar to those of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs).
Johns Hopkins, Yale, and NYU are teaming up to tackle a key bottleneck that will arise as psychedelics come to market
Business Insider, 11 March, 2022
As psychedelics treatments move closer to regulatory approval, there’s an issue looming in the industry: the lack of trained professionals who can handle such powerful compounds.
MDMA-assisted psychotherapy for PTSD could save the health care system millions of dollars, study suggests
PsyPost, 11 March, 2022
New research provides evidence that MDMA-assisted psychotherapy can improve and extend lives of patients with chronic and severe post-traumatic stress disorder while also reducing healthcare costs.
Oklahoma House Passes Psilocybin Decriminalization Bill
Psychedelics Spotlight, 09 March, 2022
On Monday, the state’s Republican-controlled House of Representatives voted overwhelmingly, 62-30, to pass House Bill 3414, introduced by Rep. Daniel Pae (R).
4 Signs the Psychedelics Movement Is Unstoppable
Psychedelics Spotlight, 28 February, 2022
Dr. Nora Volkow, the Director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse, said earlier this year that the psychedelics “train has left the station,” and here are four big reasons to agree wholeheartedly.
Psilocybin Treatment for Major Depression Effective for up to a Year for Most Patients
Neuroscience News, 15 February, 2022
The antidepressant effect of psilocybin-assisted therapy, in combination with psychotherapy, appears to provide up to a year of symptom relief for some patients with major depressive disorder.
Two doses of psilocybin may ease depression symptoms for up to 12 months
News Medical, 15 February, 2022
Previous studies by Johns Hopkins Medicine researchers showed that psychedelic treatment with psilocybin relieved major depressive disorder symptoms in adults for up to a month. Now, in a follow-up study of those participants, the researchers report that the substantial antidepressant effects of psilocybin-assisted therapy, given with supportive psychotherapy, may last at least a year for some patients.
Plant-based Medicines
Colorado General Assembly, 10 February, 2022
Concerning establishing a policy review panel to study plant-based medicines to support mental health.
Psychedelics and the Future of Psychiatry
Psychiatric Times, 09 February, 2022
Over the past several years, we have witnessed a psychedelic renaissance, and a growing body of evidence suggests that several psychedelic compounds hold strong therapeutic potential for a wide array of mental health conditions.
Psychedelic therapy shows great promise. More states should legalise it
The Economist, 29 January, 2022
Oregon’s trailblazing sets a fine example.
Sensible policy on psychedelic drugs is growing more common
The Economist, 29 January, 2022
They show tremendous potential in treating certain mental health disorders.
Read the full PDF article here.
Or listen to the topic being discussed on The Economist Podcast.
The Future of Psychedelic Medicine Will Be Drugs You’ve Never Heard Of
VICE, 25 January, 2022
Scientists are designing new psychedelic-inspired drugs that don’t yet exist, which might have effects no one can yet describe.
Ketamine for the treatment of alcoholism
Blossom Analysis, 24 January, 2022
Psychedelics are poised to be both viable and effective treatment options for many people living with mental disorders whom conventional treatments have failed. One of these disorders is substance use disorder (SUD), commonly known as addiction.
Psychedelics Offer New Route to Recovery from Eating Disorders
Neo.Life, 01 February, 2022
Psilocybin, MDMA, and ketamine can lead to a new sense of self and a release from rigid rules for people with anorexia, bulimia, and binge-eating disorder.
How 2021 became the year of psychedelics – and why 2022 is set to be even bigger
Canex, 20 January, 2022
It’s no secret that psychedelics are on the comeback trail, with a record number of trials and total investment in the hundreds of millions of dollars in 2021 alone.
Health Canada’s New SAP Rules: A Q&A With Numinus’ Payton Nyquvest
Psychedelic Stock Watch, 10 January, 2022
In 2020, Health Canada began tentative steps to open up legal access to psychedelics-based therapies via “exemptions” granted through its Special Access Program (SAP).
Details from the program can be found here.
$14.8 million for innovative mental health clinical trials
Health.gov.au, 07 January, 2022
Seven clinical trials testing the use of potential breakthrough combination therapies to treat debilitating mental illnesses will receive a total of almost $15 million from the Australian Government’s Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF).
Therapists hail 'legalization' of medicinal psychedelic drugs
Calgary Herald, 07 January, 2022
Local therapists say Ottawa’s move allowing physicians to prescribe psychedelics is a “seismic shift” towards legalizing their medicinal use.
Canada Opens New Legal Pathways For Access To Psychedelics Treatment With Psilocybin And MDMA
Benzinga, 05 January, 2022
In a groundbreaking decision, the Canadian government is changing the way patients can access psychedelic therapies with restricted drugs, including MDMA and psilocybin.
Depression and Grief Wrecked a Man's Life—Until He Took Magic Mushroom Ingredient
Newsweek, 26 December, 2021
Five years after taking part in a clinical trial, Kirk Rutter, spoke to Newsweek about his experiences of the trial and its impact on his mental health.
New center to study psychedelics pops up at University of Texas at Austin
My Sanantonio, 20 December, 2021
The Dell Medical School at the University of Texas at Austin is launching the Center for Psychedelic Research and Therapy, the first-of-its-kind center dedicated to the research of drugs such as psilocybin mushrooms, ayahuasca, MDMA, and ibogaine.
New Filing Challenges Compass Pathways’ Infamous Patent on Synthetic Psilocybin
VICE, 16 December, 2021
The non-profit Freedom to Operate used research from chemists and crystallographers to argue in a legal filing that Compass’ form of synthetic psilocybin is not a new invention.