Australia becomes 1st country to enact medical psilocybin (+ MDMA) legislation

What does Australia's new law mean for psilocybin access?

Earlier this week, Australia officially became the first country to legally approve a nationwide program which will provide psilocybin and MDMA products for certain medical conditions. And although the legislation does not go into effect until July 1, some (most notably Rhys Cohen, a drug policy advisor from Australia) are already wondering if and when the program will be able to fulfill its promise.

A press release was published yesterday on the official website of Australia’s Therapeutic Goods Administration. You can see the text of the press release below, and my TLDR summary of it immediately afterward:

From 1 July this year, medicines containing the psychedelic substances psilocybin and MDMA (3,4-methylenedioxy-methamphetamine) can be prescribed by specifically authorised psychiatrists for the treatment of certain mental health conditions.

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.