Australia recently announced the recognition of two powerful psychoactive substances as medicines. Effective July 1, the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) will allow the use of MDMA and psilocybin to treat post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression, respectively.
According to reports, patients will initially be given "unapproved" medicines containing MDMA or psilocybin since the TGA has not yet authorized any treatments containing the substances. Experts are already talking about the possible effects of the groundbreaking decision.
MDMA and Psilocybin as Medicines
As per Wired, many people were greatly surprised by the decision, particularly in light of previous rulings. The same regulatory body decided not to downgrade the drugs' schedule for use in a medical setting at the end of December 2021.
Check out this news from 7News Australia:
Experts caution that there are still many uncertainties regarding how many people can access these treatment methods starting on July 1, Wired wrote. They also wonder if Australia acted too quickly without having enough information to roll out these treatments safely and effectively.
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In a statement to the media, the Australian Health Department makes it clear that only psychiatrists will be able to write drug prescriptions because they have the training and experience to diagnose and treat people with serious mental health problems.
After getting approval from a committee on human research ethics, psychiatrists will need to be approved by the TGA under a certain specialized scheme before they can prescribe.
The minimum training standards for these psychiatrists and details on how the treatments will be prescribed have yet to be specified. Still, the TGA has indicated that they will be working closely with medical organizations to ensure the safe and effective use of these substances.
Divided Opinion
This is a big change from the way mental health problems are usually treated, and it has sparked a heated debate both inside and outside of the medical community.
As per Voanews, the administration claimed that when used in a medical setting, the medicines have been found to be "relatively safe" and induce an "altered state of consciousness" that may be beneficial to patients.
People who are dealing with PTSD and depression and have not found relief from traditional treatments, according to proponents, may benefit from using these drugs when they are used under the guidance of a qualified medical professional.
As per Daniel Perkins, adjunct associate professor at the Centre for Mental Health at Swinburne University, "the benefit, particularly for the treatment-resistant conditions that they're talking about-PTSD and depression-could be really huge."
On the other hand, opponents voice worries about the security and long-term effects of these therapies, as well as the necessity of more psychiatrist training. Moreover, one of the biggest concerns with the new treatments is access. As they will not be covered by health insurance, people with low incomes may find it difficult to access the treatments.
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