Psyche

• Public health officials have issued an alert regarding a multistate rise in cyclosporiasis, a parasitic gastrointestinal illness, with over 450 reported cases across 18 states. • Michigan is the most heavily impacted region, accounting for more than 300 of the total cases, though officials warn the actual number is likely higher due to underreporting. • The report also highlights critical medical developments, including safety monitoring for psychedelic therapies by a Yale psychiatrist and new FDA approvals for gene, cell, and nephrology therapies.

• The FDA has placed psilocybin and an MDMA-like drug on an accelerated 1-to-2 month approval track, potentially making psilocybin the first FDA-approved psychedelic therapy. • This fast-track process follows a Trump executive order and the use of priority review vouchers, with full approval possible by late 2026. • The shift is supported by evolving psychiatric science, highlighted by the Chicago VA Hospital recently enrolling its first veterans in a psilocybin-assisted therapy program for PTSD.

• Former President Trump signed an executive order in April titled “Accelerating Medical Treatments for Serious Mental Illness” to fast-track research and drug approvals for psychedelic-assisted therapy. • The order aims to increase clinical trial participation and explore innovative research models to treat serious mental health conditions. • This federal push provides a new path for psychedelic research in Missouri, where state lawmakers have failed for several years to pass similar legislation.

• Missouri State Rep. Dave Griffith is advocating for psychedelic-assisted therapy to treat veterans suffering from depression and post-traumatic stress disorder. • The initiative follows an April executive order signed by Donald Trump titled “Accelerating Medical Treatments for Serious Mental Illness,” which aims to speed up drug approvals and clinical trial participation. • The order directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to allocate at least $50 million to support state governments developing programs for psychedelic drugs.

Hope that sessions of MDMA-assisted therapy could help soldiers fight longer by helping them process traumaAs the war on drugs approaches its end, a new doctrine could soon take hold: psychedelic drugs for active-duty soldiers suffering from PTSD.In two studies funded by the Department of Defense (DoD), 186 service personnel with PTSD will likely next year undergo multiple sessions of MDMA-assisted therapy. Continue reading...

Executive order to speed access to psychedelic treatments likely to have limited legal impact despite high-profile pushThe Trump administration issued an executive order earlier this month to accelerate access to psychedelic medication for people with “serious mental illnesses,” but experts say the order is more likely to make a difference symbolically than legally.“Policymakers and the medical field have long struggled to address the burden of suicide and serious mental illness rates in America,” the order reads, noting that some people do not respond to available treatments. Continue reading...

Order to speed hallucinogen research hailed as ‘threshold moment’ but concerns remain over access and protectionsThe scene seemed so far-fetched you could be forgiven for thinking you might be hallucinating.On the weekend in which psychonauts celebrate “Bicycle Day” – the anniversary of the first LSD trip – Donald Trump was in the Oval Office double-checking that he was correctly pronouncing the name of a lesser-known psychedelic, ibogaine, as he signed a landmark executive order to accelerate research into hallucinogens, and to increase access. Continue reading...