MDMA

From July, certain psychiatrists in Australia will be allowed to prescribe MDMA for post-traumatic stress disorder.

"For clinical psychedelic services to be sensible, safe and useful, considerable professional and public education will be needed, and questions of affordability, eligibility, oversight, and standards of care should be addressed. "We have witnessed up-close the potential of our treatment to change people's lives for the better; yet the safety and effectiveness of psychedelic therapies depends on a unique set of professional competencies and considerations that are in scarce supply within mental healthcare," he said. From 1 July, the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) will permit specifically-authorised psychiatrists to prescribe, otherwise known as methlyenedioxymethamphetamine, for PTSD and psilocybin, the active ingredient in psychedelic mushrooms, for treatment-resistant depression.

The Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) on Friday approved the prescription of MDMA for post-traumatic stress disorder and psilocybin for treatment-resistant ...

Stream more than 20 global & local news sources with Flash. [News has never been more important. The TGA on Friday approved the prescription of MDMA for post-traumatic stress disorder and psilocybin for treatment-resistant depression.

The Therapeutic Goods Administration, Australia's drugs watchdog, stated that their research had found “sufficient evidence for potential benefits in certain ...

He went on to say that the drugs “can have dramatic effects on conditions often considered refractory to contemporary treatment” and could prove to be particularly helpful for returning service people. Musker stated the two drugs “reduce inhibitions” and could help patients process difficult images and memories. (Don’t expect a renewed interest in acid house or to hear “me and you have got a special connection mate!!” on the streets of Australia anytime soon, though, as possession and recreational use of the drugs will remain criminalised).

The Australian Government's Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) has announced that authorised psychiatrists will be allowed to prescribe drugs ...

[expert panel](https://www.tga.gov.au/how-we-regulate/ingredients-and-scheduling-medicines-and-chemicals/evaluation-therapeutic-value-benefits-and-risks-methylenedioxymethamphetamine-mdma-and-psilocybin-treatment-mental-behavioural-or-developmental-disorders) regarding the proposed changes. [Poisons Standard](https://www.tga.gov.au/how-we-regulate/ingredients-and-scheduling-medicines-and-chemicals/poisons-standard-and-scheduling-medicines-and-chemicals/poisons-standard-susmp-0?utm_source=nationaltribune&utm_medium=nationaltribune&utm_campaign=news). [](http://honisoit.com/)

A new rule passed by TGA will lawfully allow psychologists in Australia to prescribe MDMA and Psilocybin to their patients.

The trial is currently in phase two. A severe form of anxiety, it involves chronic worry and fear that happens on a day-to-day basis for at least six months. “We are delighted with the decision which will be welcomed by so many suffering Australians.

Analysis shows the drugs offer potential benefits for PTSD and depression sufferers for whom standard medications have not worked.

“Patients are being denied access because of the regulations,” he said. [psychedelic field](https://www.standard.co.uk/tech/psychedelics-mental-conditions-treatment-london-b1031580.html) of medicine in the UK. [PTSD](https://www.standard.co.uk/topic/ptsd) (post-traumatic stress disorder) and depression, particularly army veterans and people who have worked in emergency services, where standard psychiatric drugs have not worked and offer no relief.” [ecstasy](/topic/ecstasy) and magic mushrooms – will be used to treat [depression](https://www.standard.co.uk/news/health/magic-mushrooms-reduce-depression-symptoms-trial-b1037020.html) and post-traumatic [stress](/topic/stress). [mental health](https://www.standard.co.uk/topic/mental-health) and suicide prevention researcher at the University of South Australia, welcomed the move as “long-awaited”. [ustralia](/topic/australia)’s drug watchdog has announced that [MDMA](/topic/mdma) and [magic mushrooms](https://www.standard.co.uk/topic/magic-mushrooms) will be soon be used for medicinal use.

The drug watchdog of Australia on Friday announced that the authorities will be soon legalising psychedelic substances MDMA and psilocybin, ...

Presently, the use of psilocybin and MDMA will remain limited to the treatment of patients suffering from depression and post-traumatic stress. Australia's drug watchdog said that they will be soon legalising use of MDMA and magic mushrooms for medical treatment The drug watchdog of Australia on Friday announced that the authorities will be soon legalising psychedelic substances MDMA and psilocybin, which are commonly known as magic mushrooms and ecstasy, for treating patients who are suffering from depression and post-traumatic stress.

Good news from the Australian Therapeutic Goods Administration, as they will now allow for the prescription of MDMA to treat post-traumatic stress disorder ...

Under this classification, these substances must not be used for any other purposes than treating Treatment-resistant Depression (TRD) or Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). The Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) has officially granted permission for the use of MDMA and psilocybin as treatment options for those with post-traumatic stress disorder or treatment-resistant depression. However, without proper authorization, the possession of such drugs under Schedule 8 will be considered illegal (e.g., possessing it outside a valid prescription). To gain prescribing approval, a psychiatrist must first receive approval from the Therapeutic Goods Administration under the Will psilocybin and MDMA be allowed to be prescribed for the treatment of other mental illnesses? It is currently the only instance where such authorization exists.

Many are celebrating Australia's decision to pave the way for these psychedelic therapies, but questions around accessibility remain.

“I think that a grave error would be to think that psychiatric and psychological qualifications are transferable to psychedelic substances without additional training.” What exactly these measures look like in practice have yet to be laid out in detail by the TGA. The path for a psychiatrist to get the all-clear to dole out the drugs could be lengthy and twisted. This makes exactly how these treatments will be prescribed ambiguous, considering the bedrock of evidence to support them involves patients receiving therapy from trained professionals alongside the drugs themselves. First, psychiatrists will need to be approved under Australia’s Authorised Prescriber Scheme, which means being endorsed by a human research ethics committee and then the TGA. Because the TGA has yet to approve any actual medicines that contain MDMA or psilocybin, patients will initially be receiving “unapproved” medicines containing the substances.

The decision acknowledges the current lack of options for patients with specific treatment-resistant mental illnesses," the government said.

You can also get support via text by visiting [suicidepreventionlifeline.org/chat](https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/chat). “The safe ‘re-medicalisation’ of certain historically illicit drugs is a very welcome step away from what has been decades of demonisation,” Dr. “It means that psilocybin and MDMA can be used therapeutically in a controlled medical setting.” Outside of the U.S., please visit the [International Association for Suicide Prevention](https://www.iasp.info/resources/Crisis_Centres/)for a database of resources. [psilocybin](https://www.dea.gov/sites/default/files/2020-06/Psilocybin-2020_0.pdf) and [MDMA](https://www.dea.gov/sites/default/files/2020-06/Ecstasy-MDMA-2020_0.pdf) are indexed as Schedule 1 drugs due to a lack of “accepted medical use,” according to the government. [told the Guardian](https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2023/feb/03/australia-to-allow-prescription-of-mdma-and-psilocybin-for-treatment-resistant-mental-illnesses) that the move will make [Australia](https://www.huffpost.com/news/topic/australia) “the first country in the world to officially recognise MDMA and psilocybin as medicines.” [He told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation](https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-02-03/tga-approves-psilocybin-mdma-for-treating-depression-ptsd/101929578) that “thousands of people across Australia” will benefit from medicinal use. [National Suicide Prevention Lifeline](http://www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org/). [numerous international studies](https://www.huffpost.com/entry/magic-mushrooms_n_1228052) that [point to the promise](https://www.huffpost.com/entry/mdma-ecstasy-ptsd-clinical-trials_n_583f6b55e4b0c68e047edc17) of “magic mushrooms,” also known as psilocybin, and MDMA, otherwise known as [ecstasy](https://www.huffpost.com/topic/ecstasy) or molly, for alleviating [mental health issues](https://www.huffpost.com/life/topic/mental-disorder). [13 million](https://www.ptsd.va.gov/understand/common/common_adults.asp) Americans had PTSD in 2020, for instance, while [21 million](https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/statistics/major-depression) had a major depressive episode. [MDMA](https://www.huffpost.com/topic/mdma) and [psychedelic mushrooms](https://www.huffpost.com/topic/magic-mushrooms) will soon be medically available for patients with [post-traumatic stress disorder](https://www.huffpost.com/life/topic/ptsd) and treatment-resistant [depression](https://www.huffpost.com/life/topic/depression), respectively. [wrote in a statement](https://www.tga.gov.au/news/media-releases/change-classification-psilocybin-and-mdma-enable-prescribing-authorised-psychiatrists) on its website.

Australia will allow psilocybin and MDMA to be prescribed for certain health conditions starting July 1, 2023.

[opt out](https://www.leafly.com/news/politics/leafly-report-opt-out-towns-are-encouraging-illegal-marijuana-sales) of cannabis sales. “The safe ‘re-medicalization’ of certain historically illicit drugs is a very welcome step away from what has been decades of demonization. David Caldicott, Emergency Consultant and Senior Clinical Lecturer in Medicine at the Australian National University. “There is initial evidence that MDMA can be beneficial in treating PTSD but there is much we do not know,” said Professor Richard Bryant, from the School of Psychology University of New South Wales. Only psychiatrists with authorization from Australia’s Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) will be allowed to prescribe the substances. The announcement represents a first for medical MDMA use in any country.