Psychedelics: From ‘Magic’ to Medicinal

UNSW Centre for Ideas

Could psychedelics unlock the answers to managing complex mental health issues?

Once associated with cults and hippies, psychedelics are now becoming an evidence-based treatment for psychiatric disorders. In Australia there are numerous psychedelic trials taking place and as of July 2023, psilocybin and MDMA have been made available for prescription by authorised psychiatrists for the first time. This is on the back of ketamine recently being approved for severe depression.

Who will get access to psychedelics, and what are the ethical considerations of these treatments? Could new psychedelic treatments revolutionise the way the psychiatrists treat mental health, or has the Therapeutic Goods Administration jumped the gun?

Hear from UNSW research fellow and psychiatrist Dr Adam Bayes, Professor Colleen Loo, and Emeritus Professor Wayne Hall as they unpack the stigma, the myths, the benefits, and the path forward in a conversation chaired by Norman Swan.

Presented by the UNSW Centre for Ideas, UNSW Medicine & Health and UNSW Science as a part of National Science Week.

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