In a reversal of its earlier position, the Therapeutic Goods Administration has announced that from July 2023 the medical use of MDMA and Psilocybin will be rescheduled from Schedule 9 (prohibited substances) to Schedule 8 (controlled medicines) of the Poisons Standard.
This will enable authorised psychiatrists to prescribe these substances for treatment-resistant depression and treatment resistant post-traumatic stress disorder. All other uses of MDMA and Psilocybin will remain in Schedule 9.
The charity Mind Medicine Australia says the TGA’s decision to reschedule these substances for medical purposes for use by authorised psychiatrists is in response to MMA’s rescheduling application lodged in March 2022 (and earlier application lodged in July 2020) and the enormous number of Australians who lodged their submissions in support.
The TGA’s full announcement and the Delegate’s Final Decision can be read here: https://www.tga.gov.au/news/media-releases/change-classification-psilocybin-and-mdma-enable-prescribing-authorised-psychiatrists
Mind Medicine Australia’s response
Tania De Jong AM and Peter Hunt AM from MMA said, ‘We are delighted with this decision which will be welcomed by so many suffering Australians.
‘It specifically recognises the current lack of options for patients with specific treatment-resistant mental illnesses and the supporting evidence of safety and efficacy from clinical trials.
‘We want to express our enormous gratitude to the tens of thousands of people who have made this breakthrough possible including the TGA, the Delegate, the members of the TGA’s Medicines Scheduling Advisory Committee and all of the psychiatrists, psychologists, other mental health professionals, world leading experts and all of the people who put in submissions of support.
‘The support that we have had throughout this process has been incredible and overwhelming,’ they said. ‘Finally, our hearts go out to all those Australians suffering from treatment resistant depression and treatment resistant post-traumatic stress disorder.
‘They will now have the opportunity of accessing this breakthrough treatment with their mental health professionals, which has shown such positive safety and efficacy results internationally.’
4 Comments
Do I have to get a referral from my GP to see a pshcuteist ?
Finally a glimmer of light after fifty years of Nixon inspired suppression.
Its sad how long it has taken for people to wake up.
The underground have been using these natural substances since the Leary era.
We may now have the biggest cure for these chronic illnesses in our current time.
Big pharma won’t be happy of course . They were never after a cure.
Aha! Hope for PTSD, let’s not forget breathing exercises. Prolonging exhalation can activate the pineal to be cosmically aware, like psylocybin of all that connects us to all of Life.
Can you direct me to a phycyist in the Byron area who can treat me please ?