Pharmacists and psychedelic medicine
Journal of the American College of Clinical Pharmacy October 1, 2023 Kelan Thomas
Pharmacists will increasingly field questions about psychedelic medicines as FDA approval of MDMA for PTSD and psilocybin for major depressive disorder is expected in 2024 and 2025, respectively. Psychedelics differ from other mental health treatments by requiring only a few doses with psychological support, spaced months apart, which may yield enduring symptom improvements. Policymakers have proposed various regulatory frameworks for public access beyond FDA approval, including religious use protected by the Religious Freedom Restoration Act and state-level systems in Oregon and Colorado. Pharmacists must educate themselves on pharmacological mechanisms, adverse effects (e.g., transient anxiety, elevated heart rate, rare serotonin toxicity, valvular heart disease risk with microdosing), and drug–drug interactions. Professional guidelines and a dramatic increase in psychedelic research publications support this emerging field.