Several psychiatrists advocate the establishment of a national center in which research and quality assurance for the treatment of psychiatric disorders with psychedelics are central. Among other professor of psychiatry at the UMCG Robert Schoevers is in favor of that.
According to Schroevers and his fellow psychiatrists, united in the Working Group on Therapeutic Applications of Psychedelics, there is strong evidence that therapies containing psychedelics (psilocybin, ketamine and MDMA) are effective in the treatment of various psychiatric disorders, including depression, anxiety disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). ) and addiction.
“We see that this form of therapy, in which patients enter an altered state of consciousness, requires a special kind of guidance,” says Schoevers. “During treatment, deeply traumatic or personal material can surface. Good guidance is essential. This must be done by accredited therapists; if that happens outside of healthcare, there is a greater risk that patients will be harmed.”
The signatories therefore call on the new cabinet to make financial resources available for the establishment of a network and a national research programme. Careful and safe treatment by means of this special form of therapy must therefore be included in the Dutch healthcare system.
The center must also conduct more research into treatment with these ‘psychedelics’, which are currently mainly known as recreational narcotics, because, according to Schoevers, there are still many unanswered questions. “For which patient, which drug works best, for whom not at all, what are the short-term and long-term effects. That knowledge is crucial for broad implementation,” says Schoevers.
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