Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the use of psychedelics in the treatment of mental health; and what steps they are taking to support advanced research in this sector.

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has conducted scientific advice meetings with research organisations developing drugs with psychedelic properties for the treatment of mental health conditions. The MHRA does not conduct research, however they enable clinical trials research to take place and have procedures in place to review marketing authorisation applications submitted to them, with regard to the drug’s quality, safety and effectiveness.

The Department of Health and Social Care commissions research through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), which has invested £1.1 million in a randomised controlled trial to examine the feasibility, safety and efficacy of the use of psilocybin in people with treatment-resistant depression.

The NIHR also invests in psychedelic-assisted psychotherapies through its infrastructure. For example, the Imperial Biomedical Research Centre aims to investigate the potential of treating psychiatric disorders with psychedelics. The NIHR welcomes funding applications for research into any aspect of human health, including psychedelic-assisted psychotherapies.