In a landmark move for the field of mental health, the American Psychedelic Practitioners Association (APPA) and BrainFutures have jointly announced the publication of their professional practice guidelines for psychedelic-assisted therapy in the United States.
The APPA, a leading body advocating for the safe integration of psychedelics into the U.S. healthcare system, collaborated with BrainFutures, a nonprofit dedicated to the practical applications of brain research, to develop these guidelines.
The guidelines delve deep into various key topics in psychedelic-assisted therapy, such as preparation, integration, informed consent and building trust between practitioners and patients. Each guideline is backed by a rationale and offers guidance for its application.
The therapy model from the APPA combines the use of a psychedelic medication with therapy in a single session.
The organization’s goal is to set a benchmark for practitioners in this rapidly emerging clinical field, ensuring treatments are based on existing clinical research and expert consensus.
A diverse working group, comprising experts from various disciplines within the field, was instrumental in drafting these guidelines.
The organization received insights from over two dozen APPA members on topics such as justice, equity, diversity, inclusion and the practical application of psychedelic-assisted therapy in indigenous and other settings.
“As the field of psychedelic-assisted therapy continues to gain momentum, these guidelines offer a foundational framework for stakeholders to consider when assessing minimum standards of care for these emerging treatments,” said Natalie Gukasyan, who works as a psychiatrist at Columbia University and is a member of the working group.
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Psychedelic therapy guidelines come at a pivotal time
With mental illness on the rise in the U.S. and psychedelic-assisted therapy showing promise in treating conditions like PTSD, treatment-resistant depression, and major depressive disorder, there’s a pressing need for such guidelines.
As the likelihood of FDA approval for psychedelic-assisted therapies increases, both BrainFutures and APPA believe in the necessity of a consensus-based guideline development process.
Recognizing the dynamic nature of the field, these guidelines are set to be updated based on new research and real-world data, with the current version set to expire in two years.
“The Professional Practice Guidelines are an important next step in the evolution and professionalization of psychedelic therapy,” Clinical Professor at UC San Francisco School of Nursing Andrew Penn said.
“By seeking to clarify and define concepts such as consent, appropriate screening of patients, professionalism and ethics, safety, patient preparation, coordination with other providers, and integration of psychedelic therapy experiences, these guidelines will help to protect patients and advance the safe use of psychedelic medicines in professional settings.”
While the U.S. is making strides in establishing guidelines for psychedelic-assisted therapy, other countries are also recognizing the potential of these treatments.
Last October, the province of Alberta in Canada announced a new amendment to the Mental Health Services Protection Regulation which intended to facilitate more reliable safeguards for the use of psychedelics in treating mental health conditions like PTSD and depression.
