The Psychedelic News Feed Archive
February 5, 2024 - March 3, 2024
This is an archived version of our Psychedelic News Feed. Receive a weekly digest to your inbox by joining our newsletter. ∎
February 26 - March 3, 2024
This Week’s Feed, Sponsored by Odyssey.
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PSYCHEDELIC BULLETIN
Pα+ Psychedelic Bulletin #157: Psilocybin for Generalised Anxiety Disorder; Uptick in Psilocybin-Related Poison Centre Calls (Mar 1) ↗ Psychedelic Alpha
ALL EYES ON COLORADO
Draft Rules Provide Glimpse at Colorado’s Natural Medicine Market.
As the first set of draft rules for Colorado’s regulated psychedelics market emerge, the folks at Vicente LLP have penned two explainers:
Colorado’s Draft Natural Medicine Rules: A High-Level Overview (Feb 27) ↗ Psychedelic Alpha X Vicente LLP
Colorado’s Draft Natural Medicine Rules: Full Breakdown & Commentary (Feb 27) ↗ Psychedelic Alpha X Vicente LLP
Frank Herbert’s magic mushrooms and the psychedelic science behind Dune (Mar 1) ↗ The Telegraph
Psychedelic Assisted Therapies – A Dana Discovery Dialogues Series (Feb 29) ↗ Dana Foundation (YouTube)
Incannex Announces Positive Topline Results from Phase 2 Psi-GAD1 Clinical Trial of Psilocybin in Generalised Anxiety Disorder (Feb 28) ↗ Press Release
The Phase 2a study, which saw 73 GAD patients assigned to receive psilocybin-assisted therapy or placebo with psychotherapy, achieved its primary endpoint.
The sponsor, Incannex, is now preparing to test the intervention in a Phase 2b study. More coverage is available in Bulletin 157.
The study is featured in a new SBS documentary, too.
Separately, Incannex’s Chief Scientific Officer, Mark Bleackley, spoke with Pharmacy Times about psilocybin’s potential.
Calling All Mushroom Lovers: Denver Needs Experts for Psychedelics Advisory Group (Feb 29) ↗ Westworld
New Research Grants Push Psychedelic Studies Beyond Therapeutics (Feb 28) ↗ Forbes
This man could be about to make MDMA legal for therapy. Are we ready for it? (Feb 29) ↗ The Guardian
B.C. health workers train to provide MDMA-assisted psychotherapy (Feb 26) ↗ CBC
The therapeutic potential, and addictive lure, of losing yourself (Feb 27) ↗ Psyche
In ketamine therapy and other contexts, dissociation is seen as an unwanted side-effect. But what if there’s more to it?
Psychedelic Inequities and Unexplored Risk: Colonization, Commercialization, and Regulation (Feb 27) ↗ Bill of Health
aNUma Contracted by UC Berkeley’s Center for the Science of Psychedelics Certificate Program to Explore Psychedelic Facilitation Training With Innovative Digital Platform (Feb 28) ↗ Press Release
The power and possibility of psychedelic drugs to treat mental health (Feb 28) ↗ Men’s Health
As historic MDMA decision nears, even J.P. Morgan eyes psychedelic investments (Feb 28) ↗ Fierce Biotech
February 19 - 25, 2024
NEWS / ANALYSIS
Ibogaine Advocates Seek Ohio Opioid Settlement Funds Following Failure in Kentucky (Feb 23) ↗ Psychedelic Alpha
The loose coalition of ibogaine funding advocates—led by former Kentucky Opioid Abatement Advisory Commission Chairman Bryan Hubbard—has landed on a new state to house their project: Ohio.
In this article, we explore the magnitude of opioid settlement funds available in Ohio; the funding mechanisms we expect ibogaine advocates to tap in support of their renewed initiative; why advocates believe Ohio makes sense as a potential champion of this work; and, the challenges ahead for such an ambitious project.
PSYCHEDELIC BULLETIN
#156: Canada’s First Published Psilocybin Trial; University of Maryland Joins Terran’s Complaint Against Compass (Feb 19) ↗ Psychedelic Alpha
- Canada’s First Published Psilocybin Trial: Includes Patients with BDII and Personality Disorders, Employs Flexible Repeat Dosing Protocol
- University of Maryland Joins Terran Biosciences’ Complaint Against Compass Pathways
- Further Reading & Other Stories
Pα+ PSYCHEDELIC PATENT ANALYSIS
A Mebufotenin Melee (Dec ’23 & Jan ’24) (Feb 22) ↗ Psychedelic Alpha
- A Mebufotenin Melee: Exploring IP and Exclusivity in 5-MeO-DMT Drug Development Across GH Research and Beckley Psytech
- Explore the interactive psychedelic patent database for the months of December 2023 and January 2024.
Little Green Pharma’s psychedelics arm Reset Mind Sciences ditches plan to list on a UK stock exchange (Feb 19) ↗ The West Australian
GoDaddy Billionaire Dishes About His 4-Day Psychedelic Trip (Feb 19) ↗ Daily Beast
Psychedelic Drugs Might Support Sexual Well-Being, Studies Find (Feb 21) ↗ JAMA Medical News in Brief
What a Trip: Mental Health’s Psychedelic Revolution (Feb 21) ↗ ADDitude
Psychedelics – how modern neuroscience research is leading to new treatments for brain disorders (Feb 21) ↗ Imperial College London
Big Money Is Taking Over MDMA-Assisted Therapy (Feb 24) ↗ Jacobin
How psychedelic drug therapy became a rare bipartisan issue in California (Feb 19) ↗ CalMatters
Should a Psychedelic Therapist Be Able to Continue Therapy for Their Patients Beyond Formal Integration Sessions? (Feb 20) ↗ Bill of Health
The quest for psychedelics in the Amazon would push a Harvard botanist to his limits (Feb 21) ↗ Boston Globe
Legal Psychedelic Therapy is Coming for Veterans — But How Long Will They Have to Wait? (Feb 21) ↗ Rolling Stone
These athletes suffered life-changing injuries. Then, they turned to psychedelics (Feb 19) ↗ CNN
What leaders can learn from the psychedelic movement (Feb 23) ↗ Fast Company
Anne Philippi Interviews SafeHeart Foundation, Providing Support to Survivors of Nova Festival (Feb 22) ↗ The New Health Club
Some psychiatrists say the jury is out on prescription of psychedelic drugs like MDMA and psilocybin, the active ingredient in magic mushrooms (Feb 20) ↗ ABC News
February 12 - 18, 2024
SUBSCRIBER CONTENT
Pα+: Dispatch from ‘Advancing Psychedelic Clinical Study Design’, Hosted by the Reagan-Udall Foundation for the FDA (Part 1) (Feb 14) ↗ Psychedelic Alpha
Two weeks ago, the Reagan-Udall Foundation for the FDA hosted a two-day meeting, Advancing Psychedelic Clinical Study Design. It offered great insight into how academics, industry representatives, and—crucially—the FDA are viewing psychedelic drug development programs.
In this piece, Josh shares some key themes, analysis and take aways.
The Day 2 Dispatch is now available, too. It covers Set and Setting, FDA’s regulatory authority, and real-world use of psychedelics.
EVENT
Psychedelic Intersections: Cross-cultural Manifestations of the Sacred Conference 2024, February 17, 2024 ↗ Harvard Divinity School
VA considers using psychedelic drugs to fight PTSD among veterans (Feb 16) ↗ The Washington Post
Proposed rule could restrict research on serotonergic compounds (Feb 16) ↗ The Transmitter
Business trips: why CEOs are experimenting with psychedelics (Feb 16) ↗ Raconteur
Natural Medicine Advisory Bulletin #8: January 2024 (Feb 14) ↗ Psychedelic Alpha X Vicente LLP
As Colorado’s Natural Medicine Advisory Board (NMAB) officially adopts an initial set of 123 recommendations, with many having dozens of sub-parts, Vicente LLP review the January 2024 meetings of the NMAB and its subcommittees.
Natural Medicine Advisory Bulletin #8.1: Recommendation Round-up (Feb 15) ↗ Psychedelic Alpha X Vicente LLP
Vicente LLP reviews the 123 recommendations adopted by the Natural Medicine Advisory Board, which will inform the first round of rule-making for the state’s regulated psychedelics program.
Psychedelics may help treat PTSD—and the VA is intrigued (Feb 13) ↗ National Geographic
Massive psychedelics conference to return to Denver in 2025 (Feb 13) ↗ The Denver Post
Can the psychedelic in magic mushrooms treat depression? Ohio State professor weighs in (Feb 14) ↗ The Columbus Dispatch
Kambo frog poison inquest hears ‘guardian’ wanted medical help for Jarrad Antonovich (Feb 15) ↗ ABC News
For new professor, psychedelics and octopuses may hold keys to the human mind (Feb 12) ↗ Berkeley News
How psychedelic medication could open a new toolbox in mental health care (Feb 16) ↗ The National News Health
PARTICIPATE IN A CIIS SURVEY
Psilocybin mushrooms online research study: Invitation to participate ↗ CIIS Survey
A PhD candidate at CIIS is looking for English-speaking adults who have had 2+ psilocybin experiences, at least one of which being a ‘highly meaningful experience, to participate in a survey. More info.
How the United States embraced psychedelics (Feb 13) ↗ EL PAÍS
Psychedelic medicine gets a boost (Feb 14) ↗ POLITICO
Call for papers – Psychedelic-assisted therapy training (Feb 14) ↗ BMC Medical Education
Microdosing LSD increases the complexity of your brain signals (Feb 15) ↗ New Scientist
Ukraine’s new cure for the horrors of war: Ketamine and MDMA (Feb 15) ↗ UnHerd
Cybin Reports Third Quarter Financial Results and Recent Business Highlights (Feb 14) ↗ Press Release
Beyond the Psychedelic Competitive Moat: Chasing the Patent Dragon (Feb 14) ↗ Bill of Health
What psychedelics and AI have in common (Feb 13) ↗ Investors’ Chronicle
‘Magic mushrooms,’ or psilocybin, research gets OK from House committee (Feb 14) ↗ Indiana Capital Chronicle
February 5 - 11, 2024
BREAKING
FDA Accepts Lykos’ MDMA-Assisted Therapy NDA, Grants Priority Review (Feb 9) ↗ Press Release
The FDA has accepted Lykos Therapeutics’ (formerly MAPS PBC) New Drug Application for MDMA-assisted therapy for PTSD. The agency also granted Priority Review and set a target PDUFA date of August 11, 2024, meaning Lykos should expect a decision by that time.
BULLSEYE CHART
The Psychedelic Drug Development Pipeline (Feb 6) ↗ Psychedelic Alpha
California could legalize psychedelic therapy after rejecting ‘magic mushroom’ decriminalization (Feb 6) ↗ Independent
See also With a nudge from Newsom, a new bill aims to legalize psychedelic-assisted therapy in California ↗ LA Times
The Working Woman’s Newest Life Hack: Magic Mushrooms (Feb 6) ↗ WSJ
See also: Mums on magic mushrooms: Why parents are ‘microdosing’ class A drug (Feb 11) ↗ Sky News
Investors pile into psychedelic drug start-ups tackling mental health (Feb 10) ↗ Financial Times
The Power Of Psychedelic Therapy For Members Of The Military (Feb 7) ↗ NPR
YEAR IN REVIEW
The Interdisciplinary Annotated Psychedelic Research Bibliography of 2023 (Feb 9) ↗ Psychedelic Alpha
Our Medical Advisor, Michael Haichin, compiled a list of over 500 notable psychedelics-related publications from 2023. He then presented it to a group of researchers from varying disciplines, asking for their comments on the papers that they found most intriguing. Here, we present the list along with their comments as our inaugural Interdisciplinary Annotated Psychedelic Research Bibliography.
PSYCHEDELIC BULLETIN
Pα+ Psychedelic Bulletin #155 (Feb 8) ↗ Psychedelic Alpha
- MAPS Invests in Numinus, Hopes to Offer Experiential Training for MDMA Therapists
- Long-Term Effects of Microdosing Remain Key Unknown; Cardiac Concern
- Psychedelics for SUDs: Policy, Not Just Pharmacology
- and more…
Psychedelic-assisted therapy to treat anxiety disorders (Feb 5) ↗ UK Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology
Seizures of Psychedelic Mushrooms Rise in U.S. as Demand Grows (Feb 6) ↗ The New York Times
See also Magic mushroom busts rose as psychedelics gained favor ↗ Axios; As ‘magic mushrooms’ got more attention, drug busts of the psychedelic drug went up ↗ NPR; Law enforcement seizures of psilocybin mushrooms rose dramatically between 2017-2022 ↗ NIH
Psychedelics and sexual functioning: a mixed-methods study (Feb 7) ↗ Nature Scientific Reports
Imperial also wrote up the study, as did the Telegraph.
A ‘raft of unanswered questions’ remain as Australia’s first psychedelic therapy clinic opens (Feb 10) ↗ The Guardian
An Australian doctor has just made global history. This is what happened (Feb 7) ↗ Sydney Morning Herald
INTERVIEW
Q&A with Josh Hardman, Reporter & Consultant (Feb 11) ↗ Tricycle Day
“We spoke to Josh about the most common concerns around Big Pharma and psychedelics, the psychedelic boom-and-bust cycle, and his optimistic vision for 2024 and beyond.”
Colorado decriminalized 5 psychedelics, but what exactly does that mean? (Feb 5) ↗ The Denver Post
FDA Scientist Warns Psychedelic Trials Suffer a ‘Nocebo Effect’ (Feb 6) ↗ Bloomberg
Celebrities love this psychedelic drug, but experts warn it can be dangerously contaminated (Feb 7) ↗ SFGATE
Shroom boom (Feb 4) ↗ CBC
Survey: Psychedelic Couples Study ↗ Imperial College London Survey
Are you planning to take a MDMA or a psychedelic drug with your romantic partner, or attend a retreat with them, and want to help psychedelic research?
Imperial College London is now investigating the long-term effects of taking psychedelics such as MDMA, ketamine, 2C-B, etc. in romantic couples: from intimacy to attachment styles and sexual satisfaction.
David Nutt: ‘denying access to psychedelics is like denying access to the Covid vaccine’ (Feb 7) ↗ The Standard
Police Officers Are Doing Ayahuasca Now (Feb 9) ↗ VICE
Have a question about psychedelics? This Colorado nonprofit has answers. (Feb 6) ↗ The Denver Post
