Daily Archives: April 21, 2021

Peter Thiel, co-founder of PayPal Inc.

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ATAI Life Sciences, a biopharmaceutical company aiming to make psychedelic drugs to treat mental health disorders, announced that it is planning to raise $100 million in an initial public offering.

The Berlin-headquartered company, which counts billionaire investor Peter Thiel as one of its main backers, submitted an S-1 filing to the Securities and Exchange Commission on Tuesday.

The filing shows that ATAI has raised an aggregate of $362.3 million from private investors so far.

It is planning to sell its shares on New York's tech-focused Nasdaq market under the symbol ATAI. A date for the IPO has not been set.

Underwriters for the IPO include Credit Suisse, Citigroup, Cowen, and Berenberg.

ATAI, which describes itself as a drug development platform, was set up to acquire, incubate and develop psychedelics and other drugs that can be used to treat depression, anxiety, addiction and other mental health conditions.

The company, which has roughly 50 staff in offices across Berlin, New York and San Diego, is currently partnered with 14 companies focusing on drug development and other technologies. In exchange for a majority stake in the drugs and technologies they're developing, ATAI helps the scientists to raise money, work with the regulators, and conduct clinical trials. None of ATAI's drugs have been formally approved by regulators to date.

Thiel made a 10 million euro ($12 million) investment in ATAI through his venture firm, Thiel Capital, in November.

"ATAI's great virtue is to take mental illness as seriously as we should have been taking all illness all along," Thiel, who co-founded Palantir and PayPal, said in a statement shared with CNBC at the time. "The company's most valuable asset is its sense of urgency."

The company was founded in 2018 by entrepreneurs Christian Angermayer, Florian Brand, Lars Wilde and Srinivas Rao. It has invested in Compass Pathways, which has developed a synthetic version of the active ingredient in magic mushrooms, psilocybin.

Compass Pathways, which Thiel has also invested in, listed on the New York's NASDAQ stock exchange in September and now has a valuation of around $1.3 billion.

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Peter Thiel-backed psychedelics start-up plans to raise $100 million in IPO - CNBC

Mental illness is the 21st centurys leading cause of disability, affecting an estimated billion people across the world. Depression is the number one contributor: more than 250 million people have this condition globally. The number of people prescribed antidepressant medications, the first-line treatment for depression, increases each year, and the market for them is valued at approximately $15bn (11bn). Yet depression prevalence rates have not decreased since accurate record-keeping began. One reason for this paradox is the failure of science to adequately explain how and why depression occurs.

Psychiatry has long sought and failed to find a compelling biomedical explanation for depression. One popular idea, the serotonin hypothesis, was inspired by the observation that drugs that increase the activity of this naturally occurring brain chemical have antidepressant effects. First produced in the mid-1980s, Prozac (chemical name fluoxetine) is the most famous selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) antidepressant. Of these, Cipralex (escitalopram) is one of the newest and best performing.

While the serotonin hypothesis has some scientific foundation, it has been massively oversold by the pharmaceutical industry. This has stoked scepticism about one-sided, neurochemical explanations for depression, which suggest, for instance, that people are depressed because their serotonin levels are too low. The latest evidence indicates that SSRIs such as escitalopram are only marginally more effective at treating depression than a placebo, with response rates tending to average around 50-60%. Other limitations of SSRIs include poor compliance, symptoms when people stop taking them, unpleasant side-effects and a sluggish onset of antidepressant effects.

I began investigating an alternative to antidepressant medicines about 15 years ago as part of my PhD. Psilocybin, a constituent of magic mushrooms, is a classic psychedelic. When taken in high doses, it profoundly alters the quality of ones conscious awareness, producing complex visions and releasing suppressed memories and feelings. After completing a series of studies involving psilocybin, including an earlier trial of its effects among people with treatment-resistant depression, I set out to design a more rigorous test that might help to contextualise the drugs therapeutic promise. The resulting trial was completed last year, and its findings have now been published in the New England Journal of Medicine.

It was a double-blind, randomised, controlled trial involving 59 people with moderate to severe depression. They were randomly allocated to one of two treatment groups: one in which the main treatment was a six-week course of the conventional SSRI antidepressant, escitalopram, and another in which the main treatment was two high-dose psilocybin therapy sessions.

Those in the escitalopram group did about as well as one would expect, based on previous SSRI trial data and the relatively short, six-week course. Across four different measures of depressive symptoms, the average response rate to escitalopram at the end of the trial was 33%. In comparison, psilocybin worked more rapidly, decreasing depression scores as early as one day after the first dosing session. At the end of the trial, the average response rate to psilocybin therapy was more than 70%.

While we suspected that psilocybin might perform well compared to the SSRI, we had not expected it to perform as well as it did. In fact, the initial main hypothesis for this trial was that the psilocybin therapy would have superior effects on psychological wellbeing, but not on depression severity scores. This prediction was generally supported, but people in the psilocybin group also showed evidence of greater improvements across most depression measures, as well as anxiety symptoms, work and social functioning, suicidal feelings and the ability to feel emotion and pleasure.

Both groups experienced similar levels of side-effects, but the escitalopram group experienced worse drowsiness, dry mouth, sexual dysfunction and anxiety. In the psilocybin group, the most prevalent side-effect was a mild to moderate headache one day after dosing. Six-month follow-up work is now under way to test our prediction that the positive effects seen in the psilocybin group will be longer lasting.

So why does psilocybin appear to be a more successful treatment for depression than a typical antidepressant? Brain imaging data from the trial, alongside the psychological data we collected, appears to show that while SSRIs dampen emotional depth by reducing the responsiveness of the brains stress circuitry, helping to take the edge off depressive symptoms, psilocybin seems to liberate thought and feeling. It does this by dysregulating the most evolutionarily developed aspect of our brain, the neocortex. When this liberation occurs alongside professional psychological support, the most common outcome is a renewed breadth of perspective. Psychedelic therapy seems to catalyse a type of psychological growth that is conducive to mental health, overlapping in many respects with spiritual growth.

The most exciting aspect of this trial is a sense that we are on the verge of a paradigm shift in mental healthcare linked to an improved understanding of the origins of depression, and how we can most effectively treat it. In my view, this shift will take us away from an outdated and myopic drug-alone perspective that has dominated psychiatry for several decades, and towards a multi-level biopsychosocial model. This model sees the symptoms of depression as an adaptive response to adversity, with decipherable albeit complex psychosocial causes. Psychedelics can treat depression by activating powerful brain states that have evolved in humans to catalyse deep psychological change. When these hyper-plastic states are combined with a nurturing environmental context, defensive habits of mind and behaviour can undergo a healthy, potentially enduring revision.

These ideas arent confined to the academy. Since I wrote about developments in psychedelic medicine for the Guardian last year, the US state of Oregon has voted in favour of legalising psilocybin therapy, a senate bill has been introduced to decriminalise psychedelic drugs in California, and policies are also being reviewed in New York, Washington DC, New Jersey, Florida, Canada, Australia and the UK. The Australian government has pledged A$15m (8.5m) to psychedelic research, while two new research centres dedicated to studying psychedelic medicine have been announced at major US universities. Of course, our study certainly isnt a licence for people to self-medicate. But these are exciting developments and show that governments are recognising the benefits of psychedelic therapies.

Many obstacles have already slowed the progress of psychedelic medicine, and there will doubtless be more, from litigation issues to moral objections. If were to achieve a population-level improvement in psychological wellbeing, this road wont be easy. Despite the recent landmark trial, I do sometimes wonder if we will make it at all. One thing I am more certain of, however, is that we must try.

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Psychedelics are transforming the way we understand depression and its treatment - The Guardian

In recent years, there has been a re-emergence in the study of psychedelic drugs as a form of therapeutic treatment. After their height in popularity during the 1950s to early 1970s, psychedelics are now re-entering the medical field. Currently, psychedelics such as LSD, psilocybin, and MDMA among others are being studied for their effectiveness in treating patients diagnosed with anxiety, depression, addiction, PTSD, and traumatic brain injuries.

While recent research on psychedelics as a form of therapeutic treatment is still under development, research centers such as the NYU Langone Center for Psychedelic Medicine and Johns Hopkins Medicine (alongside multiple others) are allocating resources towards the study of psychedelics in medicine.

For example, the NYU Langone Center for Psychedelic Medicine is currently studying the use of psilocybin to treat alcohol use disorder as well as major depressive disorder, and MDMA-assisted psychotherapy for the treatment of PTSD.However, looking particularly at psychedelics potential to treat traumatic brain injuries, multiple therapeutic and psychedelics companies such as Mind Cure Health Inc (OTCQB: MCURF), Revive Therapeutics Ltd (OTC: RVVTF) and Champignon Brands Inc (OTC: SHRMF) are currently dedicating resources towards this research effort.

What Is A TBI?A traumatic brain injury (TBI) is defined as a disruption in the normal function of the brain, typically caused by a jolt, bump or blow to the head. The severity of a TBI ranges from a mild case such as a concussion to severe, a coma.

For milder cases, side effects from a TBI-related injury can last up to a few days or for the rest of a patients life. Some of these side effects include issues related to emotional functioning and impairments related to memory, vision or hearing.

Some of the leading causes for traumatic brain injuries include falls, motor vehicle accidents, being struck by or against an object, and intentional self-harm.

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According to the CDC, traumatic brain injuries are currently one of the leading causes of death and disability in the U.S. as an estimated 1.5 million Americans sustain a TBI every year and this number is only expected to rise.

The CDC found that the number of TBI-related emergency department visits, hospitalizations, and deaths in the U.S. increased by 53% from 2006 to 2014. In the last reported year, an average of 155 people died each day from a TBI-related injury.

A Potential Treatment OpportunityMental health and wellness company MINDCURE recently announced its efforts towards researching psychedelics for the treatment of TBIs.The company will be using its bioinformatics platform, Psycollage, to help aid them in their research.

Through Psycollage, the company identified opportunities for the treatment of traumatic brain injuries using a psychoactive substance called ibogaine.

MINDCURE believes that ibogaine could be crucial for the treatment of brain trauma and neuropathic pain, noting that the substance has been thought to stimulate the growth of new dopamine neurons and repair and reset the brain's reward system.

Ibogaine, which is extracted from the iboga shrub, has been used by West African communities for centuries in both rituals and healing ceremonies. Yet, this psychedelic did not make its way into the western world until 1864.

In 1970, the FDA classified ibogaine as a Schedule I drug alongside other psychoactive drugs such as psilocybin and LSD. However, in recent years with the resurgence of psychedelics in therapeutic research the regulatory landscape is once again becoming more favorable.

To help facilitate this research, the company has brought on Dr. Dan Engle who is Board Certified in Psychiatry and Neurology, as the companys Primary Investigator Consultant.

"MINDCURE is fortunate that Dr. Engle has chosen to bring his expertise and clinical experience with trauma and head injury to lead MINCURE's research efforts," said President and CEO Kelsey Ramsden. "Dr. Engle is a trusted resource whose guidance will be pivotal in leading this transformative research program. TBI issues not only affect individuals but also can have lasting effects on families and communities."

For additional national statistics and to learn more about traumatic brain injuries, visit https://www.cdc.gov/TraumaticBrainInjury/index.html.

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2021 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.

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Psychedelics As A Potential Form Of Treatment For Traumatic Brain Injuries - Yahoo Finance

PALM BEACH, Fla., April 21, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The psychedelics industry has entered the spotlight! The rapidly increasing acceptance of psychedelic treatments is creating a strong demand from therapists and patients for access to the new products and therapies. Industry reports for rise in revenues all seem to be higher than the previous report. A recent report from Data Bridge Market Research said that the psychedelic drugs market is expected to gain market growth in the forecast period of 2020 to 2027. Data Bridge Market Research analyses that the market is growing with a CAGR of 16.3% in the forecast period of 2020 to 2027 and expected to reach USD $6,859.95million by 2027 from USD 2,077.90 million in 2019. Growing acceptance of psychedelic drugs for treating depression and increasing prevalence of depression and mental disorders are the factors for the market growth. Another report from Research And Markets upped the projection saying that the Psychedelic Drugs Market size is projected to reach USD $10.75 Billion by 2027, from USD 4.75 Bn in 2020 growing at a CAGR of 12.36% during 2021-2027. Active companies in the markets this week include: Mind Cure Health Inc. (OTCQB: MCURF) (CSE: MCUR),Mind Medicine (MindMed) Inc.(OTCQB: MMEDF) (NEO: MMED), Numinus Wellness Inc. (OTCPK: LKYSF)(TSXV: NUMI), Field Trip Health Ltd. (OTCQX: FTRPF) (CSE: FTRP), Cybin, Inc. (OTCQB: CLXPF) (NEO: CYBN).

The Data Bridge report also said that: "The psychedelic drugs are used to enhance or change sensory perceptions, energy levels, thought processes, and to facilitate spiritual experiences. Psychedelic drugs can be categorized into dissociative drugs (such as PCP), empathogens and serotonergic (classic hallucinogens) (such as LSD). These drugs are used in the treatment of major depressive disorder, treatment-resistant depression, panic disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, and opiate addiction among others. Psychedelic drugs market has increased with increased number of psychedelic drugs as compared to the past few years and increasing prevalence of depression and mental disorders in the U.S. Growing acceptance of psychedelic drugs for treating depression is also increasing market value as the psychedelic drugs has repetitively proven its high rates of effectiveness for treatment for nicotine dependence, alcohol dependence, anxiety associated terminal illness and chronic PTSD as compared to other antidepressants. Currently, different research studies are taking place that are expected to provide a competitive advantage for new and innovative therapeutic manufacturers with competitive psychedelic drugs and methods to develop, define psychedelic drugs, and various other opportunities in the U.S. psychedelic market."

Mind Cure Health Inc. (CSE: MCUR.CNQ) (OTCQB: MCURF) BREAKING NEWS: MINDCURE Partners its iSTRYM Technology with LUCID to Discover and Create Proprietary Music Experiences for Use During Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy Sessions - Mind Cure Health Inc,a leader in advanced proprietary technology for psychedelic therapy, is pleased to announce a partnership with LUCID Inc. ("LUCID"). LUCID's mission is to help people optimize their mental wellness through music, and they will be designing custom psychedelic music experiences for iSTRYM.

After announcing its data partnership with Speak Ai last week, MINDCURE continues to integrate world-class technologies into and create proprietary experiences within iSTRYM, its psychedelics digital therapeutics platform. LUCID's platform is a key differentiator for iSTRYM as therapists and patients seek out scientifically validated tools to enhance the effectiveness of psychedelic-assisted therapies. It will enable the therapist to alter the music within a therapy session based on real-time feedback and data collected from the patient, all within iSTRYM.

"We look forward to working with MINDCURE's team and bringing our expertise to psychedelic-assisted therapies," said Zach McMahon, LUCID CEO and Co-Founder. "Our team will be researching and taking into consideration the therapeutic targets and mechanisms of action associated with each psychedelic while leveraging our machine learning systems to optimize the music experiences in iSTRYM for personalization and efficacy."

Music has been shown to be effective as a stress and anxiety management tool and also has shown efficacy for diverse outcomes, including chronic and acute pain. Listening to music evokes a wide range of emotions, and because of this, music listening has been a component of several psychological interventions in the area of anxiety and depression, such as post-traumatic stress disorder. With this integration, therapists will have access to music designed for psychedelic-assisted therapies and specific psychedelic compounds that is changing in real-time based on patient feedback, AI and collected data to deepen or alter the experience.

"We are building first-of-its-kind functionality by pairing AI-driven music scapes with a therapist's art of directing the experience for patients in psychedelic-assisted therapy sessions," said Kelsey Ramsden, MINDCURE President and CEO. "Integrating LUCID will further enhance iSTRYM's capabilities and its potential as the validated backbone of the roll-out of psychedelic therapy and trusted wingman for therapists and patients who want a digital therapeutic partner that allows for quantified medicine with personalization at scale." CONTINUED To read this and more news for Mind Cure Health, please visit https://www.financialnewsmedia.com/news-mcur/

Other recent developments in the markets include:

MindMed (OTCQB: MMEDF) (NEO: MMED), a leading clinical-stage psychedelic medicine biotech company, recently announced the publication of the first study on MDMA dosing optimization using personalized medicine. The study took place at the University Hospital Basel Liechti Lab, inBasel, Switzerland. This study provides the first scientific data for predicting responses to MDMA and optimizing dosing. This may maximize the potential beneficial therapeutic effects while reducing adverse responses when treating medical conditions.

The study used data from 194 MDMA administrations in ten randomized placebo-controlled studies in healthy subjects conducted by the Liechti Lab at the University HospitalBasel, Switzerland. Key findings of the study suggest: The dose of MDMA can be optimized using predictors known before dosing including body weight, sex, age, genetics, personality trait measures, and mood before drug administration; The dose of MDMA per kg body weight of the treated person best predicted the MDMA concentrations in the body and also mainly determined the acute subjective response to MDMA.

Numinus Wellness Inc. (OTCPK: LKYSF)(TSXV: NUMI) provides solutions to develop and deliver psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy and transform the mental health landscape. The company operates in two divisions, Salvation Botanicals and Numinus Health. The Salvation Botanicals division offers laboratory services, such as cultivation, analytical testing, product research and development, and ancillary services in the area of psychedelics; and full suite testing and custom testing of cannabis. The Numinus Health division provides supportive therapies and technologies to heal, connect, and grow with a focus on treating mental health and substance abuse; and services for psychotherapy, counselling, neurofeedback, physiotherapy, and other therapies. This division also offers training, facilities, and other operational resources to practitioners. The company is headquartered in Vancouver, Canada.

Field Trip Health Ltd. (OTCQX: FTRPF) (CSE: FTRP), a leader in the development and delivery of psychedelic therapies, recently reported its third fiscal quarter results for the three and nine months ended December 31, 2020. All results are reported under International Financial Reporting Standards ("IFRS") and in Canadian dollars, unless otherwise specified.

Joseph del Moral, Field Trip's CEO, said, "We are making rapid progress maximizing value for shareholders by building out Field Trip's complementary business lines that focus on both the development and the delivery of psychedelic therapies. Our deeply integrated platform combines drug and product developments, psychedelic-enhanced therapy and technology-enabled virtual care solutions. All the components work in concert with each other to increase our understanding of the therapeutic value of psychedelics and to deliver them to patients that need them most. With our early-mover advantage, a strong cash position, and a strong and growing reputation as thought leaders in the industry, we are well-positioned to propel our growth in the emerging market of psychedelic therapy."

Cybin Inc.(OTCQB: CLXPF) (NEO: CYBN), a biotechnology company focused on progressing psychedelic therapeutics, recently announced plans to advance the pre-clinical work for its orally dissolving tablet ("ODT") formulation of CYB003 and its inhaled formulation of CYB004, two of the Company's deuterated tryptamine development candidates. These studies are part of the required U.S. Food and Drug Administration ("FDA") enabling trials for investigational new drug applications ("INDs").

Upon successful completion, the results of the IND-enabling studies will be included in the submissions to the FDA, as well as to other regulatory bodies, such as Health Canada and European Medical Association ("EMA"). The candidates would then advance into Phase 1 human clinical trials for specified psychiatric conditions. Labcorp Drug Development will serve as the pre-clinical research organization for Cybin.

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Psychedelic Drugs Market Size Is Projected To Reach $10.75 Billion By 2027 - PRNewswire

Due to stigma, their illegal status and difficulty in finding control groups, research with psychedelics has been a challenge. But research increasingly shows that this class of drug has legitimate medicinal uses, and they may be just as good or even better than more traditional therapies.

Now, the Centre for Psychedelic Research at Imperial College London reports in the New England Journal of Medicine that when pitted against escitalopram (brand name: Lexapro), psilocybin was as effective as the popular SSRI (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor) in treating moderate to severe depression. Perhaps most significantly, these results were obtained when comparing 6 weeks of daily doses of escitalopram to just two administrations of psilocybin.

Robin Carhart-Harris, head of the center who has published over 100 papers on psychedelics, is confident this study represents another step forward in applying psychedelics to mental health treatment protocols while also reducing fears a lot of citizens have around these substances. In a press release, he said:

"One of the most important aspects of this work is that people can clearly see the promise of properly delivered psilocybin therapy by viewing it compared with a more familiar, established treatment in the same study. Psilocybin performed very favorably in this head-to-head."

Credit: Robin Carhart-Harris et al, NEJM, 2021.

As depicted above, the phase 2 clinical trial included 59 volunteers. The escitalopram (control) group received six weeks of daily escitalopram in addition to two tiny (1-mg) doses of psilocybin a dose so low that it is unlikely to produce hallucinogenic effects. The psilocybin (experimental) group received two 25-mg doses of psilocybin three weeks apart with placebo given on all the other days.

At the end of the study, both groups saw a decrease in depressive symptoms, though the results were not statistically significant. (That isn't necessarily bad because if the two drugs have similar effects, then they would not produce statistically significant results. Still, a larger study is needed to confirm that psilocybin is "just as good as" escitalopram.)

Additionally, several other outcomes favored psilocybin over escitalopram. For instance, 57 percent in the psilocybin group saw a remission of symptoms compared to 28 percent in the escitalopram group. This result was significant.

As psychedelics become decriminalized and potentially legalized for therapeutic use, however, a large population of people might desire the antidepressant effects without the hallucinations. For example, the psychedelic ibogaine may be useful for treating addiction, so the company Mindmed is developing an analog that works without producing the unwanted hallucinogenic side effects.

A new research article, published in the journal PNAS, investigated the antidepressant effects of psilocybin on a group of chronically stressed mice. (Under immense stress, mice develop something resembling human depression.) As with humans, depressed mice lose a sense of joy, which can be assessed by determining their preference for sugar water over tap water. Normal mice prefer sugar water, but depressed mice simply don't care.

Once the mice were no longer juicing up on the sweetened water, the team dosed them with psilocybin alongside a drug called ketanserin, a 5-HT2A serotonin receptor antagonist that eliminates psychedelic effects. Within 24 hours of receiving the dose, the mice were rushing back to the sugar water, indicating that tripping is not necessary for psilocybin to work as an antidepressant.

While the team is excited about these results, they realize it needs to be replicated in a different population.

"The possibility of combining psychedelic compounds and a 5-HT2AR antagonist offers a potential means to increase their acceptance and clinical utility and should be studied in human depression."

Photo: Cannabis_Pic / Adobe Stock

Psychedelics such as psilocybin and LSD have a long track record of efficacy in clinical trials and anecdotal experiences. Almost all volunteers of the famous Marsh Chapel experiment claimed their experience on Good Friday in 1962 was one of the most significant events of their lives and this was a quarter-century after the fact. A more recent, controlled study found that a single dose of psilocybin showed antidepressant effects six months later.

Proponents of macrodosing and ritualistic experiences sometimes argue that the full-blown mystical trip is the therapy, though this is anecdotal, not clinical research. As the Maryland team noted, a number of people are contraindicated for psychedelics, whether through a family history of schizophrenia or current antidepressant treatments.

Senior author Scott Thompson is excited for future research on this topic. As he said of his team's findings:

"The psychedelic experience is incredibly powerful and can be life-changing, but that could be too much for some people or not appropriate These findings show that activation of the receptor causing the psychedelic effect isn't absolutely required for the antidepressant benefits, at least in mice."

Hopefully, with more research occurring in psychedelics than even in the 1950s (when studies predominantly relied on anecdotal evidence and little government support), the longstanding stigmatization of psychedelics is beginning to recede. This could open up new possibilities for both clinical research and, for those curious about the ritual effects, a continuation of introspective experiences.

--

Stay in touch with Derek on Twitter and Facebook. His most recent book is "Hero's Dose: The Case For Psychedelics in Ritual and Therapy."

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Study: Tripping might not be required for psychedelic therapy - Big Think

Psychedelic drug or psychedelics hallucinogenic drugs in a 3D illustration style.

Healing intergenerational trauma through psychedelics is a key theme that will be explored in the inaugural Jewish Psychedelic Summit to be held virtually, May 2 and May 3. Among the speakers at this two-day confab are rabbis, therapists, mystics and scholars. The brainchild of Madison Margolin, editor and co-founder of DoubleBlind Magazine, a psychedelics-focused publication, Rabbi Zac Kamenetz, who received his rabbinic ordination in 2012 and Natalie Lyla Ginsberg, the director of policy and advocacy at the nonprofit Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies, the conference will encapsulate discussion of the past, present and future of psychedelic Judaism.

Recently, the event's three co-founders talked about its conception and planning. They also weighed in on why you do not need to be Jewish to attend the summit.

This Q&A has been edited for conciseness and clarity.

Iris Dorbian: How did the idea for the conference come about?

Madison Margolin: To me, this conference represents a movement that has been brewing for a long time. While there is evidence of entheogenic use in Biblical times, the concept of Jewish psychedelia really began to take off around the 1960s and 1970s, and today has mushroomed a movement that is helping people from secular to Orthodox backgrounds rekindle their relationship to Judaism.

Zac Kamenetz: Madison and I were asked to speak at a conference about psilocybin and we chose to speak about how Jewish time could be a powerful vehicle for psychedelic experience. A few weeks later, we reached out to each other with the same idea a summit to broadcast some of the big questions and conversations happening in the Jewish psychedelic world and to catalyze a growing community and movement of Jews who are curious, interested, or excited about weaving sacred entheogenic use into the rich fabric of Jewish spiritual consciousness and practice. After sharing a few ideas about what could be possible and seeing how big this could be, we asked Natalie to help us make it a reality. The confluence of creative passion and personal connections, dreams and resources came together to create what felt like the next obvious step in the psychedelic Jewish movement.

Madison Margoline, co-founder of DoubleBlind Magazine and Jewish Psychedelic Summit

Dorbian: How did you find the speakers and develop the programming?

Margolin: We put a lot of work into making sure that people of all different backgrounds were represented. That means including people with Jewish backgrounds ranging from Europe to North Africa to the Middle East; from secular to ultra-orthodox; from underground lived experience with psychedelics to academics who have taken a more bookish approach.

Natalie Ginsberg: We had a hard time cutting it down to two days of content. We intentionally made each panel topic a question, to embody the Jewish tradition of questioning and to reflect that each topic is an ongoing exploration and discussion.

Kamenetz: This feels like the best kept secret of the global Jewish community. Having already started an online community called the Jewish Entheogenic Society to capture all the wisdom and wonder about the intersection between Judaism and psychedelics, it was very easy to reach out to speakers and say, You see this happening; its getting bigger [and] we are creating the container for more community conversations and deepening the conversation.

Rabbi Zac Kamenetz, co-founder of Jewish Psychedelic Summit

Dorbian: If I am interested in psychedelics and healing but I am not Jewish, should I still attend this conference?

Margolin: Of course! The summit platforms Jewish wisdom, mysticism and healing modalities in a psychedelic context, but I think that non-Jews could find value in the content as well. Perhaps they would resonate with ways that they could combine their own religion with the psychedelic experience, too, such as even in say Hindu contexts, which can be very grounding and provide a ritualistic framework to something that at times can be so intangible and otherwise difficult to grasp.

Kamenetz: The Jewish Psychedelic Summit is for everyone. We are creating a model for religious or spiritual tradition communities that can work through major questions of theology, spiritual practice, social justice, culturally specific spiritual and respectful care, and processing individual and collective trauma.

Natalie Ginsberg, director of policy and advocacy at the Multidisciplinary Association for ... [+] Psychedelic Studies and co-founder of Jewish Psychedelic Summit

Dorbian: What is your aim for this conference? Do you see it as a one-off or an annual event?

Margolin: I see this conference as a means of gathering an already existent and fast-growing community. I hope that the Jewish Psychedelic Summit can honor those who have been doing both spiritual and healing work in this space for decades prior to the existence of an online conference, while also platforming newcomers to the space who can add to the conversation as academics, rabbis, community builders, mystics, and so forth.

Ginsberg: Judaism encourages us to question and dialogue, and we are hopeful this conference amplifies the growing conversation around psychedelic Judaism and perhaps inspires some Jewish psychonauts to consider integrating some of their ancestral traditions into their modern spiritual and healing practices.

Kamenetz: Since the Jewish counterculture movement, there has been a deep and growing desire by many Jews to experience their traditions directly and on their own terms, without barriers or institutional filters. I hope we can reawaken a sense of the mystery of being and inspiring conscious activism, which is grounded in inner wisdom. We are excited to see where this takes us in the long-term.

Regular registration is $72. For students and lower-income attendees, it's $32 and for those who wish to make a donation to further "community building and research," it's $108. For more information, click here.

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Why You Dont Need To Be Jewish To Attend The Upcoming Jewish Psychedelic Summit - Forbes

Leonie, 44, knew where her depression came from but that didnt make it any easier to live with. Growing up in South Africa, where both her parents were violently attacked, left her with what she calls a constant, low hum of insecurity and threat, almost like tinnitus. Her father died when she was 17, and in her 20s, she became her mothers carer. By the autumn of 2019 she had been on antidepressants for more than half her life, with barely a break.

The medication helped to stabilise Leonie during the most severe episodes that left her bed-bound, but in between she was advised to continue on a preventative dose. She experienced a relentless low-level depression: It was almost more debilitating, because youre functional but only half alive. Youre getting by and everything looks okay, but for me, thats a life half-lived.

She tried four different selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors the most common class of antidepressants known as SSRIs as well as two varieties of therapy. The problem was, she says, that in her experience antidepressants numb you. Its what makes you able to deal with the difficult feelings and carry on functioning. But if youre numb to your own pain, its really hard to unpack it and explore it in therapy, make sense of it and file it in a different way. All youre doing is keeping it there under a band-aid.

By November 2019, she was desperate. I thought, Ive got to do something different, because what Im doing is slowly killing me, she says. She came across an innovative new trial on Google, and she felt hope.

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For the last decade, evidence has been building to support the theory that psilocybin the key psychedelic ingredient in magic mushrooms and some other Class A illegal drugs could be an effective tool to understand how mental illness manifests in the brain, as well as a potential treatment. Controlled studies found it had few side effects, and left most people with depression experiencing improved symptoms, and most people with terminal cancer less anxious about death.

I wanted to know how good psilocybin really is, says Dr Robin Carhart-Harris, head of the Centre for Psychedelic Research at Imperial College London. That meant comparing psilocybin with the standard treatment for depression on the NHS: antidepressants. (In the three months to September 2020, these were prescribed to more than six million people in England.) It meant conducting a double-blind, randomised control trial the most rigorous scientific method of evaluating an intervention, the gold standard.

Every participant including Leonie was thoroughly screened by psychiatrists and other mental health professionals and weaned off antidepressants before taking part. They were randomly assigned to one of the two study arms the psilocybin condition, or the antidepressant condition but were not told which.

Magic mushrooms contain psilocybin, which is showing promise as a treatment for mental health problems Getty Images

They knew they would receive two doses of psilocybin three weeks apart, but did not know if this would be a high or low dose. They also each had a pot of capsules to take at home, without knowing if this pot contained a placebo or escitalopram, a well-performing SSRI.

Participants in the psilocybin arm received 25mg of the drug. That is a whopping dose, enough for a transformative experience. It could be profoundly blissful; it could be profoundly scary; whatever the flavour of it, it tends to be very, very intense, Carhart-Harris says. Those in the escitalopram arm received just 1mg of psilocybin considered a placebo dose and all would receive psychological support before, during and after dosing.

And that, explains Prof David Nutt, director of the Neuropsychopharmacology Unit at Imperial College London, is what makes this trial a game-changer; Thats the real innovation people didnt know what they got, so it was a much better controlled, much more scientific comparison.

On the first day of the study, Leonie met with the two therapists who would be her guides. In a hospital room decorated with Himalayan salt lamps, artificial candles and fake plants, her therapists talked her through a visualisation of a deep-sea dive, which she describes as her handrail for the trip.

Your guides are your anchor, and you can always pull yourself up on them to get back to the surface. But the invitation is to dive deep, to go down to the spiky, dark, grimy, slimy bottom of the ocean to find the pearl, Leonie explains. The pearl, for her, was to get to grips with her depression.

The next day, she watched as the psilocybin was brought into the room in a beautiful ceremonial bowl, and took her dose. As she lay on the bed wearing an eye mask and headphones and listening to music, she understood the trauma of her life with new meaning.

The music sounded discordant at first, and Leonie saw an image of her mother as a limping duck, waddling along with a broken limb. The image encapsulated, she says, my mums process of dying, how broken she was, her limping through a very unfulfilled life, one I felt like I was repeating and not finding the point of it at all.

The therapy room is designed to be a safe and relaxing environment Imperial College London

But as the musics layers built up to a more expansive sound, that broken discordant note that was my mother turned out to be a piece of the most exquisite, transformative masterpiece; all of a sudden, my mums broken notes made perfect sense in the symphony.

Leonie finally felt able to see meaning in the loss, to reframe it, and separate herself and her life out from her mothers. In what she calls a real moment of ancestral healing, she describes taking possession of her own life and mind: I became this point in time; there was my mum, my mums mum, and my mums mums mum, and I felt pain radiating across the ages, and realised in that moment that that pain wasnt mine.

Recognising that pain brought a sense of freedom. My depression became not me. I was liberated for the first time, she says. She took off her eye mask, looked at her guide and said, Im surprisingly unbroken.

This gave her a new sense of distance and separateness from the psychological distress that consumed her for decades: A space was created between me and my depression; I no longer felt held prisoner, she says. Instead of retreading the same ground over and over, its as if theres a fresh bed of snow, and you can start new paths, there are new options. In fact, that whole slope is an option now. Which way do you want to go next?

This image of a fresh bed of snow reflects what Carhart-Harris and Nutt theorise is going on in the brain. In their earlier study of people with treatment-resistant depression, participants had brain scans before and after taking psilocybin, which showed the drug had a significant impact on particular networks, turning off the brain circuits of depression, Nutt says.

Psilocybin in tablet form Eyevine

Carhart-Harris explains that when people develop depression, they build up protective defences to try and fight off the anxiety, fear and pain. Its a hibernation, a disconnection from the world, and that becomes self-reinforcing, he says. Its as if the person can only retread the same footsteps in the snow; they are stuck, ruminating and repeating the same behaviour that doesnt help in depression as in anorexia, alcoholism and OCD among other disorders.

Psilocybin, these scientists think, helps by stimulating the type of serotonin receptors in the brain called 5-HT2A different from the type stimulated by SSRIs. These 5-HT2A receptors are found in the cortex. Carhart-Harris describes the cortex as the aspect of the human brain that is uniquely expanded, relative to our closest evolutionary neighbours.

The cortex is associated with species-specific functions like mind-wandering, imagination and abstract thinking. These receptors seem to be linked to plasticity that is, to neurological change. Psychedelics come in and free everything up, its a window of opportunity to think and behave in a different way, like a psychological rebirth afforded by this blast of plasticity, says Carhart-Harris. Its like a fresh layer of snow falling, so instead of retreading old footsteps, a person can ask, as Leonie did, which way do I want to go next?

Plasticity means change in the brain which can be positive or negative so the trials therapeutic aspect is crucial, says Carhart-Harris: When you twin plasticity with care and compassion from your guide, promoting that in yourself, when you bring that to the experience and an intention to heal and open and let go thats the healing process.

But not everyone taking psilocybin illegally will do it like this. Thats why Carhart-Harris and his team are launching a new app in April, called MyDelica. As evidence for psilocybins impact on mental health is building, more people are using it recreationally, even though its still illegal to be in possession of the drug.

While study participants are carefully screened and attended to by therapists in a safe environment, users in the wild are not. This concerns Carhart-Harris: I know that will come with risks, because I know the potency of psychedelics, he says.

MyDelica does not encourage or promote use of psychedelics but provides advice, such as having a sober guide with you, for those who are already taking them. Its an attempt to de-risk whats happening now with the scaling-up of use like a safety net, he says.

But it is not just that: by asking MyDelicas users questions about their psychological history and their trips, Carhart-Harris hopes to get rich, deep data on people taking psychedelics in all sorts of contexts. It really enhances the science because we can get bigger data than we can in expensive controlled studies, and we can address different questions, he says.

In controlled studies, people with a history of psychotic disorders are screened out; in the real world, they dont screen themselves out. Carhart-Harris hopes this app will improve understanding of potential dangers. After all, an analysis of 346 self-reports by psilocybin users in February 2020 found that taking multiple doses of psilocybin in one session, or combining it with other substances, was linked with long-term negative outcomes, and in some cases the use of mushrooms in high doses was linked to medical emergencies.

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Carhart-Harris is hopeful that in 2021, psilocybin will be accepted as a mainstream mental health treatment. He cites influential figures in academic psychiatry, along with consultants and advisors for Big Pharma companies, who have begun working with psychedelic medicine start-ups.

These experts include Guy Goodwin, who is the former head of the European College of Neuropsychopharmacology and emeritus professor of psychiatry at the University of Oxford; and former head of the American Psychiatric Association Paul Summergrad, who is now the Dr Frances S Arkin Professor and chairman of psychiatry at Tufts University.

Carhart-Harris also mentions the Drug Policy Reform Group, a lobby group annexed to the Conservative Party, in which there are quite active, vociferous people wanting to see change in drug policy. But how long will it be before Big Pharma get involved?

Id be very surprised if theyre not taking this really quite seriously, Carhart-Harris says. The mental healthcare company COMPASS produced the psilocybin used in his trial, and is also running a study for 216 patients with treatment-resistant depression, with results expected at the end of 2021.

In studies, Dr Robin Carhart-Harris (left) has seen success in using psilocybin to treat depression. He is hopeful that it will soon be accepted as a mainstream treatment Imperial College London

When I ask COMPASS co-founder Dr Ekaterina Malievskaia how long she thinks it will take for psilocybin to become a mainstream treatment, she says, Were just moving as fast as possible, but not faster. She estimates three to five years from now.

Carhart-Harris is clear that psilocybin should not replace antidepressants, which do help some patients. I dont believe psychedelic therapy is the cure for everything; I just think it is a very powerful potential treatment option, he says. There is reason to be hopeful about treating your and your loved ones mental illnesses.

There is a problem, however, and its quite a big one. Psilocybin is still classified as a Class A illegal substance. Nutt has been investigating the therapeutic potential of illegal drugs for 40 years, and he sounds optimistic that things are beginning to change.

At least people like you are writing articles. Frankly, 10 years ago you probably wouldnt have been allowed to; it wouldve been seen as too controversial and provocative. So I think the fact that were having an open discussion is truly, probably, the greatest thing weve achieved.

Carhart-Harris and his team published the results of their gold-standard experiment in April 2021.

Leonie was convinced she had been in the escitalopram arm of the trial. Although the trip was powerful, she says, I didnt have the textbook experience. I did not turn into a panther in some Amazonian forest, lose all sense of self or not know where my arms were. I was able to get up halfway through to go to the bathroom. But after the study was completed, she found out shed had the high dose of psilocybin.

Then things went, in her words, spectacularly wrong. Stresses piled up: unemployment, financial insecurity, Brexit, a ruptured appendix. And then the country went into lockdown. Her depression returned and she went back on short-term antidepressants to stabilise her. And then I came off them. This is the longest Ive been unmedicated since my early 20s, she says. It is still a struggle, but she is really feeling the feelings and getting through it, I have come out of this stronger and psychologically more resilient.

Its not that the psilocybin cured her, she says, but Im building on that idea that Im not broken, that I can do this. It just takes practice, because being human is a bit messy. Every time I face the fear and come through it really feels like thats my healing.

WARNING:Psilocybin is a Class A drug according to UK law. Anyone caught in possession of such substances will face up to seven years in prison, an unlimited fine, or both. More information and support for those affected by substance abuse problems can be found atbit.ly/drug_support.

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Inside the experiment that could bring psychedelic drugs to the NHS - BBC Focus Magazine

Los Angeles, April 19, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Psychable,the online community for people who are interested in legally exploring or offering psychedelic-assisted therapy, has officially launched. Providing thousands of listings for psychedelic practitioners across the U.S., Canada, and international locations, the platform aims to be the most comprehensive and trusted resource for those curious in exploring the legal use of psychedelics as medicine, and offers a community-reviewed, curated database of practitioners available to connect with clients directly through the platform.

Psychedelic-assisted therapy refers to the therapeutic practices that involve the use of certain psychedelics for healing purposes. Recent studies have shown that when administered under the supervision of a therapist, along with proper aftercare and integration support, psychedelic-assisted therapy can have impactful results when it comes to treating those suffering from migraines, addiction, PTSD, depression, mental health issues, emotional trauma, and other ailments. For those looking for alternative, holistic options in taking care of their mental health, psychedelic-assisted therapy is a powerful new tool.

As the understanding of psychedelics as medicine grows and research confirms that they can offer transformative healing, interest in the field has grown among Western medical communities, State governments, and those seeking lasting treatments for a variety of ailments.

Psychable is a comprehensive resource for those at any stage of their journey with psychedelics, featuring proprietary, medically-reviewed articles written by the Psychable medical team and access to listed professionals ranging from credentialed and licensed therapists trained in Western medicine to experienced guides with years of hands-on experience.

Designed to be a community-driven platform, visitors can search listings through a variety of filters including substance type and geolocation. From there, they can learn more about each practitioner through listings, as well as community-generated reviews on treatments, interactions and experiences, and connect directly with the practitioner of their choosing located near them.

The launch of Psychable is the first step in the companys mission to provide education around the role of psychedelics as part of holistic health, advance the dialogue in culture and key communities surrounding psychedelics, and advocate for legislation that increases access to legal psychedelic treatments.

The launch of Psychable is a significant step forward for psychedelic-assisted therapy, as it provides a safe environment for both those seeking treatment options and practitioners to connect securely and discuss individual health plans that may provide transformative, lasting relief, said Jemie Sae Koo, CEO, Psychable. Psychable brings together generations of wisdom from Indigenous healers across the globe, information on the encouraging research in Western science that showcases the impactful healing power of psychedelics, and firsthand testimonials from patients into one place to provide a powerful resource for those at any stage of their journey with psychedelics from information seeking to aftercare.

The company is founded by serial entrepreneurs Jemie Sae Koo and Matt Zemon, a pair united in a belief that psychedelics can provide meaningful and transformative treatments for not only those struggling with a myriad of ailments, but also those looking to transform their lives for the better. With both having transformative experiences with psychedelic medicine that led them to each pursue a Master of Science Degree in Psychology with a focus on Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy, theyve curated a team of experts with deep experience to lead the Psychable community to support all phases of the journey from information to integration.

Psychable is open to all those who seek information on psychedelic-assisted therapy and connects them to practitioners who can help. For more information, to create your profile or secure your listing, please visitwww.Psychable.com. Follow along with Psychable via social media onLinkedin,Instagram,Twitter, andFacebook. Join the social discussion through #NatureHeals.

About PsychablePsychable is the comprehensive online community connecting those who would like to legally explore the healing power of psychedelics with medically and peer-reviewed practitioners. The community offers support for those seeking information, current patients, and practitioners wherever they are in their journey with psychedelic-assisted therapy. Our mission is to transform the lives of millions of people, especially those suffering with conditions such as depression, PTSD, and addiction by connecting them to psychedelic-based treatments, including integration, psychedelic-assisted therapy, and retreats. Psychable launched in 2021 and is led by Jemie Sae Koo and Matt Zemon, successful entrepreneurs whose transformative experiences with psychedelic medicine led them to each pursue a Master of Science Degree in Psychology with a focus on Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy. The platform is supported by a passionate team of experts in psychology, business, medicine, and law. For more information on our mission and community, visithttps://psychable.com/, or follow us onLinkedin,Instagram,Twitter, andFacebook.

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Psychable, the Online Platform for Psychedelic Healthcare, is Live the Comprehensive Resource Connects Those Seeking Information on Legal...

Could 5-MeO-DMT help people with treatment-resistant depression?

From magic mushrooms to ketamine, psychedelic drugs are having a serious heyday across the planet. Currently seeing considerable interest and acceptance by the public to treat emotional distress, the so-called third wave of psychedelics is cresting. And with that swelling attention is the creation of the essential machinery to support the new medical model including consistent protocols and training preparation for clinicians.

The first known incarnation of psychedelics use is thought to have happened over the past few thousand years across parts of the globe and led by healers in ritualistic settings. People taking psychedelics and convening with spirits to better understand their lives. The second wave peaked in the West with widespread experimentation during the counterculture era of the 1960s (namely using LSD and mescaline), alongside the miasma and expansion of Vietnam War protests and the civil rights movement, then unceremoniously fizzled out due to the protracted War on Drugs.

Today, the energy behind psychoactive drugs as medicine is being propelled in clinical settings in the hallowed academic halls of research titans like Johns Hopkins, U.C. San Francisco and Imperial College London. Unlike the 1960s, there is now greater support for psychedelic research from governments in North America and Europe as many millions of dollars are being pumped into the field by enthusiastic donors and investors. That has put researchers firmly on a path to developing psychedelic meds and systems that may help people cope with and potentially heal from chronic emotional distress. Quantum leaps of change are occurring as scientists tinker with formulations, tweaking chemical compositions into better tools for mental health practitioners. They are creating and refining drugs to care for patients with debilitating conditions like anxiety, eating disorders, addiction and treatment-resistant depression.

Enter the substance 5-methoxy-N,N-dimethyltryptamine, known popularly as 5-MeO-DMT or toad. While it is naturally present in small quantities in a variety of plants and animals, the substance is most notably derived from the venomous secretions of the Sonoran Desert toad. Following a spark of popularity in the underground beginning in the 1980s with a man named Ken Nelson, who in 1984 wrote the cult classic pamphlet Bufo alvarius: The Psychedelic Toad of the Sonoran Desert (under the pseudonym Al Most), the drug remained in relative obscurity until about 2010 when another surge of popularity occurred. While there has yet to be a clinical trial completed on the effectiveness of 5-MeO-DMT as a medicine for emotional trauma, numerous anecdotal reports point to the drugs ability to provide users with significant changes in contentment with life and easing of mental anguish. One study published in 2019 by Maastricht University, collected from 42 individuals, detailed how a single inhalation of 5-MeO-DMT vapor in a naturalistic setting was related to sustained enhancement of satisfaction with life, mindfulness-related capacities, and a decrement of psychopathological symptoms.

Today, there are a number of entities, including many serious practitioners in the underground (note that 5-MeO-DMT is a controlled substance in the U.S and U.K.) and both for-profit and non-profit groups seeking to harness the medicinal benefits of the 5-MeO-DMT molecule. One of those parties is Beckley Psytech, a strategic partner of the NGO the Beckley Foundation in the U.K., founded by psychedelic maverick Lady Amanda Feilding. The foundation has for over 20 years focused on evidence-based drug policy reform and scientific research into psychedelic medicines. In 2020, we raised over $22 million in funding and developed an intranasal formulation of synthetic 5-MeO-DMT thats set to be tested later this year, says Cosmo Feilding Mellen, CEO and founder of Beckley Psytech. Well be breaking new ground with the first clinical study on intranasal 5-MeO-DMT, conducting an initial Phase 1 trial with 42 participants.

Dr. Fiona Dunbar, chief medical advisor at Beckley Psytech, who held a prior role as vice president of global medical affairs at drug maker Janssen (the pharmaceutical division of Johnson & Johnson), sees a future for 5-MeO-DMT in the psychotherapeutic toolkit. From a classical regulated pharmaceutical drug development perspective, 5-MeO-DMT is a very interesting compound with a unique receptor binding profile, says Dunbar. The available data on its pharmacological effects are intriguing.

Dunbar is in a position to speak on the subject. Her work at Janssen for over 29 years has included development of the drug esketamine, the first psychedelic-based psychiatric drug to be licensed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2019. It was modeled after the drug ketamine, an anesthetic that has been used for many years to treat depression. Dunbars years of experience developing psychoactive drugs as well as drug development across a range of therapeutic areas including neurosciences, immunology, oncology and infectious diseases ultimately led her to her position at Beckley Psytech and to identifying the potential of 5-MeO-DMT as a medicine that could have a real impact on patients with treatment-resistant depression.

In tandem with preparing to prove their formulation of 5-MeO-DMT as an effective drug in clinical trials later this year, Beckley Psytech is now collaborating with clinicians from the group Fluence, an organization in the U.S. that focuses on psychedelic education and training of mental health providers in psychedelic treatments. A key part of Beckley Psytechs clinical trial efforts will include the critical infrastructure that takes patients through preparation prior to taking the drug, assistance during the potentially destabilizing psychoactive experience, and subsequent integration following the typically expansive time on 5-MeO-DMT. That all requires a steady hand by qualified therapists.

Co-founders of Fluence, Dr. Ingmar Gorman and Dr. Elizabeth Nielson, will collaborate with the Beckley Psytech to create the new training program. Each of the therapists has experience working on FDA-approved clinical trials with MDMA to treat post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and psilocybin used for treatment-resistant depression. The pair were also recently co-authors of the first peer-reviewed paper defining the framework of psychedelic integration and its importance in patient care. Published in Frontiers in Psychology, the paper outlines how mental health providers may benefit from understanding the unique motivations, experiences and needs of people who use psychedelics.

From a training perspective, training clinicians to do this work is something that is quite different for many clinicians than what they may have previously been trained to do, says Nielson. She notes that therapists who come to this type of training will be skilled clinicians with their own various skillsets and practices however, they may have little to no frame of reference for working in psychedelic models.

It could be a new paradigm for them, she says of therapists working with patients using 5-MeO-DMT. The very idea that theyre using something that they may not have considered medicinal or therapeutic as part of psychotherapy, and theyre being asked to see someone through that experience, thats new for a lot of people.

Beckley Psytech says their intention is also to develop a training program with Fluence that will enable therapists to interact with patients remotely, leveraging digital technologies to improve patient treatment and care, and reduce utilization of healthcare resources. Thats an important facet providing access to the masses by keeping costs reasonably affordable for patients who wish to use psychedelic medicines.

Developing a specific psychotherapy program for 5-MeO-DMT and the training materials to deliver it are vital steps in the progression of our lead formulations eventual journey to market, says Dunbar. Fluence is a leader in its field when it comes to psychedelic-assisted medical training and ensuring that patients can access the benefits of psychedelic medicines with confidence and surety, and were excited about the new doors this strategic partnership will open.

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Researchers In Europe, U.S. Team Up To Produce First Ever 5-MeO-DMT Psychedelic Training Program - Forbes