In a first, Australia has approved the use of 3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA), commonly known as ecstasy and magic mushrooms for the medical treatment of certain mental health conditions.
From July 1, authorised psychiatrists are now allowed to prescribe MDMA to patients with Post Traumatic Disorder (PTSD) and magic mushrooms to those who are suffering from some kind of depression.
“The Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) will permit the prescribing of MDMA for the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder and psilocybin for treatment-resistant depression. These are the only conditions where there is currently sufficient evidence for potential benefits in certain patients,” Australia’s Therapeutic Goods Administration, or TGA, said in the release.
This development makes Australia the first country in the world to down-schedule psilocybin and MDMA for clinical treatments. Meanwhile, clinical trials are underway in the US, Canada and Israel. Australia reclassified the drug completely in February this year.
How these drugs will be accessed?
According to media reports, Ecstasy and Magic Mushrooms can only be prescribed by psychiatrists who have a pre-approval through the TGA’s authorised prescriber scheme, for the treatment of PTSD or treatment-resistant depression.
Reportedly, the doctors will be required to provide a proposed treatment protocol which includes dosing information and the number of therapy sessions. However, these treatment is expected to be expensive and it is estimated to be between $15,000 and $25,000, as per media reports.
Are these drugs safe?
According to TGA, psilocybin – the main psychoactive ingredient in the magic mushrooms – and MDMA are “relatively safe” when used in a medically controlled setting under the supervision of appropriately trained healthcare professionals.
As per media reports, some experts fear that this move is “premature” as these drugs are still being tested in clinical trials. Moreover, these drugs haven’t been formally approved for the treatment of any mental health disorders by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for clinical use.
Studies suggest that MDMA acts as a hallucinogen and it increases the user’s energy levels, sensory experiences and distorts their sense of time. Meanwhile, Magic Mushroom also have hallucinogenic effects due to the presence of psilocybin.
