CANADIAN PSYCHEDELICS INDUSTRY TELLS POLICY MAKERS: MAKE ROOM FOR HEALTHCARE INNOVATION

TORONTO, Sept. 21, 2022 /CNW/ - Research into Psychedelics shows promising advantages to existing therapies and Canada needs to make room for healthcare innovation, according to Psychedelics Canada: the not-for-profit trade association representing Canadian psychedelic medicine and therapy companies.

"Canada has an emerging psychedelics industry with the potential to improve the mental and physical health of millions worldwide?led by the members of our industry association," said Nick Kadysh, Board Chair of Psychedelics Canada. "But we need federal policy makers to make regulatory reform a priority, otherwise we risk ceding leadership to competitive countries."

"Despite some progress, Canada risks falling behind in offering these lifechanging therapies to the people who need them," said Liam Bedard, Coordinator of Psychedelics Canada. "Canada needs to make medicinal psychedelics a public health priority ? by funding research, enabling clinical trials, but most importantly by reducing the regulatory burden which slows down scientific progress."

PsyCan members will be speaking to policymakers at the federal and provincial levels in the coming months about easing requirements for patient access to treatments involving psychedelic molecules, improving regulatory timelines pertaining to controlled substances licenses, launching clinical research to continue to prove the merits of psychedelic-assisted therapies, and continuing to develop a secure supply chain for psychedelic molecules for scientific purposes.

PsyCan has also launched an online awareness campaign to encourage policymakers to make regulatory reform for psychedelic medicine a priority. Learn more at: psychedelicscanada.org/advocacy.

"We believe in a future where psychedelic therapies, administered by qualified health care practitioners, are among the available treatment options for patients who may benefit," said Bedard. "Only by embracing innovation in mental health treatment can we improve the lives of Canadians."

ABOUT PSYCHEDELICS CANADA

Psychedelics Canada, incorporated as the Psychedelics Businesses Association, is the not-for-profit trade association for the legal psychedelics industry. Psychedelics Canada is dedicated to working collaboratively to advancing government regulation, scientific research, and the specific needs of the legal psychedelics industry. Member companies of Psychedelics Canada are devoted to collective action, and motivated by a belief in the promise of Psychedelic molecules as therapeutic treatments. Member companies represent research, development, manufacturing, and clinic operations. At the time of incorporation, Psychedelics Canada was the first national-level trade association for the legal psychedelics industry anywhere in the world.

SOURCE Psychedelics Canada