Skip to main content
June 20th marks World Psychedelics Day, which has special significance for Australians this year. This is because, in just a few days, psychiatrists will be able to apply to become Authorized Prescribers of MDMA and psilocybin. Authorized Prescribers will be able to prescribe these substances as part of therapy,

A Landmark Day for Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy

Australia will soon commence with the legalized use of psychedelics in controlled clinical settings for patients with treatment-resistant depression (psilocybin) and treatment-resistant posttraumatic stress disorder (MDMA).

To become an Authorised Prescriber, psychiatrists are required to submit an application to a Human Research Ethics Committee (HREC) and to the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA). The TGA’s Authorised Prescriber scheme is the culmination of Mind Medicine Australia’s (MMA) rescheduling applications lodged in March 2022 and our objections to the interim decisions lodged in November 2022.

The decision to reschedule and implement a compassionate access pathway recognizes the tens of thousands of Australians who lodged their submissions in support, and the fact that treatment-resistant patients aren’t benefitting from currently available treatments.

Australia is the first country in the world to reschedule these mediums

Australia can be very proud of the fact that we are the first nation in the world to reschedule these medicines for medical purposes. Australia is now an innovative leader in the treatment of mental illness.
As Australia begins to deliver psychedelicassisted therapies, MMA is supporting the roll out through a number of programs:

Establishing a register to record treatment outcomes

MMA is working with the university sector to establish a registry allowing psychiatrists to record treatment outcomes. The collection of real-world data will be pivotal to evaluating the success of the Authorised Prescriber scheme, to inform future regulatory change and expanded access.

MMA’s Certificate in PsychedelicAssisted Therapies (CPAT) 

Since 2021 Mind Medicine Australia has trained 240 psychiatrists, psychologists, psychotherapists, GPs, physicians, addiction specialists, mental health nurses, social workers, and occupational therapists through its Certificate in PsychedelicAssisted Therapies (CPAT).
This training was recently described by Professor David Nutt as the “world’s leading CPAT training” on ABC Radio National and features a world class International Faculty.

Training health professionals in psychedelic-assisted therapy

Many graduates have described the course as lifechanging and the most outstanding professional development program they have completed. It is important to note that psychedelicassisted therapies require a multidisciplinary team approach, and the actual treatments are likely to be supervised by a range of therapists.
The 2023 intakes begin in July and are fully subscribed. Upon graduating, another 120 clinicians will have successfully completed training in the delivery of psychedelicassisted therapies.

Clinical Supervision

In addition to training, ongoing clinical supervision is considered the best practice for prescribers and therapists working in the field. We’re extremely excited to be launching a clinical supervision program for graduates of our CPAT program in July, which will ensure they have the guidance they need to begin practicing safely and effectively.
psychedelic assisted therapy
Supervision will be led by leading clinicians in PAT from around the world, including Dr. William Richards (USA), Dr. Ben Sessa (UK), Dr. Lauren Macdonald (UK), Sara Reed (USA), and Dr. Brian Richards (USA).

Supply of Psilocybin and MDMA

MMA has arranged for psilocybin and MMA to be supplied to Australian psychiatrists via a partnership with Optimi Health, a manufacturer of GMP psilocybin and MDMA based in Canada.
Licensed pharmacists holding Schedule 8 permits will be responsible for holding and delivering the medicines around Australia. The supply chain will be tightly controlled at all times in strict accordance with Australian and State/Territory regulatory requirements.
This supply agreement will ensure there is a medicine available onshore, making it considerably easier for Authorised Prescriber psychiatrists to access it for their patients.

Supporting those who cannot afford treatment

MMA has set up a Patient Support Fund (PSF). The PSF will receive donations from large to small philanthropists, and hopefully, governments around Australia, to support those who cannot afford the full costs of treatment. The NGO welcomes donations. Go to their website

The initiative is designed to help bridge the funding gap before funds from Health Funds and from the Australian Government’s Medical Benefits Scheme become available to patients in the future.

The economic case for this and the need to reduce human suffering is overwhelming. In addition to the PSF, MMA is advocating with health funds and other potential funding sources to encourage them to begin funding these treatments.

Looking ahead

These programs will support psychiatrists and their teams delivering MDMA and psilocybin-assisted therapies for patients with PTSD and treatment-resistant depression, and patients seeking to benefit from them. They will ensure positive outcomes as Australia leads the way in the delivery of psychedelicassisted therapies.

Commenting on the way forward for Australia, Professor David Nutt, Head of Neuro-psychopharmacology at Imperial College, said:

This is a landmark day for the tens of thousands of Australian families who are blighted by depression and PTSD as they will have access to powerful new treatments with unique mechanisms of action. And congratulations to Australia for leading the world in this vital treatment innovation.

Executive Director of MMA, Tania de Jong AM said: “We are so pleased that some of the immense suffering being experienced in families, communities, and organizations around the

Em Sloane

Em Sloane

I am an introverted nature lover, and long time contributor to LongevityLive.com. My role is to publish the information in a consumer friendly format, which we receive on the latest medical news, press releases and general information on the latest longevity related research findings.

Longevity Live is a digital publisher AND DOES NOT OFFER PERSONAL HEALTH OR MEDICAL ADVICE. IF YOU’RE FACING A MEDICAL EMERGENCY, CALL YOUR LOCAL EMERGENCY SERVICES IMMEDIATELY, OR VISIT THE NEAREST EMERGENCY ROOM OR URGENT CARE CENTER. YOU SHOULD CONSULT YOUR HEALTHCARE PROVIDER BEFORE STARTING ANY NUTRITION, DIET, EXERCISE, FITNESS, MEDICAL, OR WELLNESS PROGRAM.

This content, developed through collaboration with licensed medical professionals and external contributors, including text, graphics, images, and other material contained on the website, apps, newsletter, and products (“Content”), is general in nature and for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice; the Content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.

Always consult your doctor or other qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition, procedure, or treatment, whether it is a prescription medication, over-the-counter drug, vitamin, supplement, or herbal alternative.

Longevity Live makes no guarantees about the efficacy or safety of products or treatments described in any of our posts. Any information on supplements, related services and drug information contained in our posts are subject to change and are not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects.

Longevity does not recommend or endorse any specific test, clinician, clinical care provider, product, procedure, opinion, service, or other information that may be mentioned on Longevity’s websites, apps, and Content.

error: Content is protected !!