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On Saturday, Donald Trump signed an executive order aimed at accelerating clinical research into psychedelic drugs. The order focuses on expanding federal funding, reducing bureaucratic barriers, and speeding up regulatory timelines. The move signals a notable shift in U.S. federal posture toward psychedelics—distinct from ongoing developments at the state level—and arguably represents one of the most significant federal actions on psychedelic research and access to date.

Psychedelic policy in the US is shifting fast, but is public opinion keeping pace? A landmark 2025 RAND survey of over 10,000 Americans explored which psychedelics the public supports legalising, why psilocybin leads the pack, and what the road to reform might actually look like.

Drawing on archival research from the UN, Sweden, and the United States, a recent publication traces how psychedelics were swept into the 1971 Convention on Psychotropic Substances through moral panic, Cold War politics, and the absence of any powerful lobby to defend them.

A new meta-analysis challenges the narrative that psychedelic therapy outperforms antidepressants, showing comparable effectiveness when trials are evaluated under similar conditions.

A landmark training programme will give healthcare professionals in Aotearoa the skills, along with the pathway, to legally prescribe psilocybin.

While mental health support is available, cancer patients often face long waiting times, limited access to appropriate care, and emotional needs that shift rapidly during treatment.

Psychiatric medicine is undergoing a seismic shift as Compass pathways announce successful results from its Phase 3 trial (COMP006).

On June 11th, 2025, Texas passed Senate Bill 2308, allocating $50 million in state funds towards the research and development of ibogaine for medical use. The bill had support from a large bipartisan majority and was signed by Gov. Greg Abbott, authorising universities, hospitals, and drug developers to work towards potential FDS-approved ibogaine treatments for veterans.

In January 2025, the then Minister for Policing, Fire and Crime Prevention commissioned the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD) to provide an updated assessment of ketamine-related harms, consider its appropriate legal classification, and advise on how best to reduce harms associated with ketamine use.

This study aimed to develop a high-quality Mandarin version of the 5 Dimensional Altered States of Consciousness (5D-ASC) Rating Scale to increase language accessibility in psychedelic research.

Restrictions on what are now deemed ‘controlled drugs’ and, in New Zealand, ‘prohibited plants’ unjustly impact both medical care and research.

In Brazil, the debate on the use of psychedelic substances for therapeutic purposes has been gaining momentum, especially when it comes to psilocybin.

Psychedelic tourism and growing demand surrounding species of psychoactive plants and toads might be posing a threat to their survival.

Although psychedelics have shown therapeutic potential in treating conditions such as depression, PTSD, and addiction, concerns remain regarding ethical practices, participant diversity, and the structural limitations of prevailing theoretical frameworks.

The Department of Veterans Affairs in Australia have recently decided to fund MDMA-assisted psychotherapy for PTSD and psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy for treatment resistant depression among military veterans.

It is 60 years since ketamine was first tested in humans as an alternative but safer anaesthetic to PCP (phencyclidine) (Corssen and Domino 1966). It became widely used as the “buddy drug” for combatants in the Vietnam War: because of its great safety margin, it could be injected into wounded personnel by their buddies to relieve pain before the arrival of the medical team.

The Royal College of Psychiatrists (RCPsych) have released a position statement on the efficacy and safety of psychedelics and related substances (PARS), in addition to updated clinical guidance surrounding research into these compounds and a framework for delivering assisted psychotherapy.

To date, there has been a lack of consensus in the field of psychedelic research regarding key terms. It is our hope that development of this lexicon can aid in translating findings across various research groups and improve clarity and precision in our communications with each other and the general public.

Facing a terminal diagnosis is one of life’s most difficult challenges. Beyond the physical burden of illness, patients often experience anxiety, depression, insomnia, and existential distress – a sense of suffering that touches mind and body alike.

Psychedelic-assisted therapy (PAT) is an emerging treatment that combines pharmacotherapeutic dosing sessions with psychotherapy. Despite limited regulatory approval, treatment seekers can access PAT through various avenues, including ketamine treatment centers and “supported adult use” psilocybin centers in the US, drug tourism, “underground” therapy, and participation in clinical trials.

For the 2nd year in a row, the Drug Science team was invited to host a discussion around psychedelics at We Out Here Festival, which is held in Wimborne St Giles, Dorset.