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Taking Health Canada to court

Health Canada dragging feet on approving magic mushrooms for therapeutic use, patients and advocates say

To date, Health Canada has granted legal exemptions to 19 healthcare professionals and 32 terminally-ill patients so they can legally use psilocybin in clinical settings. The patients have reported life-changing results, yet at least 119 patients are still awaiting exemptions to gain access to the therapy, and experts are beginning to see the lengthy process as an ethical issue.

TheraPsil, a Victoria non-profit, has hired lawyers to take action against Health Canada and Health Minister Patty Hajdu through the federal court. TheraPsil’s efforts will hopefully speed up the application process and bring justice to patients who are desperate for psilocybin therapy.

 

 

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Growing support psilocybin therapy

New poll finds majority of Canadians support legal access to psilocybin therapy

Most Canadians now support psilocybin-assisted therapy.

A recent poll found that 54% of Canadians were in favour of making psilocybin medically available, increasing to 66% after being informed of the current research on psilocybin. All provinces, demographics and political groupings showed majority levels of support.

New poll finds majority of Canadians support legal access to psilocybin therapy _ The Growthop

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A game changer for psychedelic research in Canada

Knowde Group Inc.™ Enters Into a Strategic Partnership with LMC Manna Research to Drive Quality and Collaboration in the Conduct of Cannabis and Psychedelic Clinical Trials.

A new partnership may accelerate psychedelic research across the country to tackle the mental health crisis.

A psychedelic research organization, Knowde Group Inc., entered into a strategic partnership with Canada’s largest network of outpatient clinical research sites, LMC Manna Research. LMC Manna has 23 research sites across 3 provinces and has participated in 2,000+ clinical trials over 25 years. The collaboration will give Knowde Group access to a diverse database of over 1 million patients and strategic advisory for conducting Phase 1-4 clinical trials in psychedelic and cannabis medicines.

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Nova Mentis receives approval for autism clinical study

Nova Mentis Autism Clinical Study Approved by Canadian Institutional Review Board

Are psychedelics the future of autism treatment? Nova Mentis Life Sciences Corp. (NOVA) received Canadian approval for a new study on autism, which will be the first step in bringing psilocybin treatment to autistic patients. Researchers will observe 200 patients with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) or fragile x syndrome (FXS) to establish baseline biomarkers that can be used to measure psilocybin treatment responses in a later study. NOVA will monitor the gut microbiome, immune response, and serotonin activity in patients, as these factors influence behavioural symptoms.

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Why access to psilocybin therapy is still limited despite proven effectiveness

Why Is Ottawa Stalling Proven Magic Mushroom Therapy for the Dying?

After two psilocybin-assisted therapy sessions, a terminal cancer patient, Thomas Hartle, says that “ I can’t emphasize enough how much of my life it has given back. Even months later, it’s much easier for me to be able to clear my head of those useless, anxious thoughts.” While many patients like Hartle are having great success with psilocybin therapy, Canada’s bureaucratic application process is limiting the number of patients who can access it, with 119 exemption applications awaiting review. In order to administer psilocybin therapy effectively, it is crucial that medical professionals experience the drug for themselves, yet only 19 medical professionals have been granted access to it. CEO of TheraPsil, Spencer Hawkswell, says Health Canada is pushing for clinical trials before granting more exemptions, but these trials are incredibly labour-intensive, have strict criteria, and cost millions. Dr. Pam Kryskow of the Canadian Psychedelic Association is advocating to include psychedelic therapy as a palliative care option under Canada’s Medical Assistance in Dying legislation, which would allow terminal patients access to psilocybin without going through the slow application process. Krysow believes “that given their safety profile, given their efficacy, given how cheap they are… at this point it’s unethical to not be doing this.”

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Core One Labs has initiated the development of patent-pending drug formulation that uses psilocybin to treat the underlying cause of Alzheimer’s Disease

Core One Labs Commences Development on Patent Pending Psychedelic Drug Formulation for the Treatment of Alzheimer’s Disease

Akome Biotech Ltd., a subsidiary of Core One Labs Inc. (COOL), has initiated the development of patent-pending drug formulation made of psilocybin and a plant bioactive compound, which is believed to help treat Alzheimer’s Disease. While current Alzheimer’s treatments focus on treating symptoms of the disease, the new drug formulation known as AKO002 aims to treat the underlying cause of the disease by targeting serotonin receptors in the hippocampus. Data mapping reveals that psychedelics like psilocybin have “positive effects in the promotion of neuroplasticity and neurogenesis” and have “potent anti-inflammatory properties”.

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The ATMA Urban Journey Clinic became the first clinic in Alberta to use psilocybin-assisted therapy and will become a Canada-wide training center for mental health professionals

Psychedelic drug therapy now offered at Calgary clinic, the first of its kind in Alberta

The ATMA Urban Journey Clinic in Calgary began psilocybin treatment for a terminal cancer patient, making it the first clinic in Alberta to use psychedelic therapy. Clinic CEO David Harder explains that psilocybin treatment brings out suppressed emotions, allowing patients and therapists to work through them together, whereas typical medications numb down the emotions. The cancer patient claims that he “couldn’t be more at peace” during the treatment, giving hope that psilocybin-assisted therapy will continue to gain traction. The clinic will become a training center for mental health professionals across the country.

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Psychiatry professor believes that psilocybin has potential to reset the behaviours and cognitions of those with eating disorders by changing neural pathways.

Magic mushrooms’ for eating disorders? Drug company running trials at B.C. university

Dr. C. Laird Birmingham, Psychiatry professor with expertise in eating disorders, believes that psilocybin has potential to reset the behaviours and cognitions of those with eating disorders by changing neural pathways. NeonMind Biosciences Inc. is working with Dr. Birmingham at the University of British Columbia in preclinical trials to determine if psilocybin could be used to change the unconscious response to emotional situations that can trigger food-related addictions.

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CEO and president of first psychedelic ETF, PSYK, says web traffic is up almost 50% as the new sector gains hype from investors

Investing in magic mushrooms: First psychedelic ETF debuts in Toronto

Horizons ETFs Management debuted PSYK in January 2020, an index of 17 Canadian and US life sciences companies focused on therapeutic applications of psychedelic drugs. President and CEO, Steve Hawkins, says “we haven’t seen this kind of hype for a new sector of the equity marketplace since cannabis in 2017” and predicts that the market is going to grow very rapidly. Hawkins says web traffic is up almost 50% and that the ETF is seeing very good traction from a press and media perspective.

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Vancouver may decriminalize possession of drugs including psychedelics

Vancouver, Health Canada to formally discuss drug decriminalization, mayor says

In an effort to tackle the ongoing overdose crisis in Vancouver, Health Canada has agreed to discuss a plan to decriminalize the possession of small amounts of illicit drugs. The city council of Vancouver voted unanimously to put the idea forward to the federal government back in November 2020. Mayor Kennedy Stewart is hopeful that if granted the exemption, Vancouver will see a decline in drug-related deaths after a record number of overdoses in 2020.

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