Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy in Military and Veterans Healthcare Systems: Clinical, Legal, and Implementation Considerations.
Current psychiatry reports October 1, 2023 Aaron S Wolfgang, Charles W Hoge 15 citations
MDMA- and psilocybin-assisted therapy have shown promising outcomes for PTSD and depression, respectively. MDMA-assisted therapy is already FDA-approved on a compassionate use basis for PTSD, with full approval projected for 2024; psilocybin-assisted therapy is projected to be approved for depression soon after. The VA is conducting clinical trials, but implementation barriers include high clinical hours per patient, resource requirements, military-specific considerations, and the need for strong evidence before inclusion in clinical guidelines. Policymakers in the DoD and VA must prepare clear policies for these treatments as FDA approval approaches.