A few months ago, I was sitting in a packed auditorium in Berlin, Germany, listening to talks by neuroscientists, psychiatrists and therapists from around the world. They believe psychedelic therapy could revolutionize the treatment of depression, addiction and PTSD. Five hundred people from 33 countries attended the conference. And many are trying to navigate the specific regulations in their own countries where these substances are now illegal.
I’ve been covering developments in psychedelic science over the last decade, and it’s remarkable to see how much the field has changed in just the last couple of years. The FDA recently approved using psilocybin as a “breakthrough therapy” for treating severe depression, so scientists at several major universities are launching clinical trials to see if it really works. Some wealthy donors have also stepped forward to help pay for these studies because government agencies still don’t want to fund psychedelic research.
There are still many questions about psychedelic therapy. Why does it work? Can a single dose of psilocybin really cure depression? And how would our health care system manage such powerful, mind-altering drugs if they become legally available? These are not the kinds of drugs that a psychiatrist can simply prescribe without therapists on hand to guide people through their intense experiences.
The science of psychedelics is still just getting started. But the question is not so much if - but when - some of these drugs will get FDA approval. And then? That’s when things will get really interesting.
–Steve