UK advisory body issues rapid response on psychedelics for PTSD
April 6, 2025The UK’s independent Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology (POST) has issued a rapid response on psychedelic-assisted therapy for post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
The response is intended to inform policymakers on the topic as increasing research around psychedelics shows the compounds may hold promise as innovative treatments in the area of mental health.
The rapid response is the third response on psychedelics to come from POST – one of the first independent bodies of its kind in the world that sources independent analysis of public policy issues relating to science and tech for government.
Previous responses have covered depressive disorders, anxiety disorders and eating disorders.
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The response reads: “Research into the use of psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy for PTSD has been conducted using MDMA, ketamine, and the four ‘classical psychedelics’ (psilocybin, LSD, mescaline and DMT). These are described in POST’s rapid response article on depression.
“Generally, this approach involves ‘non-trip’ sessions with a medical professional to ensure safety, prepare the patient and build a relationship, and a minimum of one ‘trip’ session where the patient undergoes a form of talking therapy after administration of a psychedelic compound.
“Evidence from studies conducted in hundreds of participants suggests that psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy may be an effective treatment for PTSD. However, to date, there is not enough information from large clinical trials with sufficient participants comparing psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy directly to existing treatments.”
Responding to research and policy developments
POST’s responses on psychedelics have been issued following a parliamentary debate discussing psilocybin access in May 2023.
The debate saw a group of crossparty MPs call for the rescheduling of psilocybin to remove barriers to research and demand an urgent review of the evidence for psilocybin’s current status as a Schedule 1 drug under the Misuse of Drugs Regulations 2001, “with a view to rescheduling”.
The Royal College of Psychiatrists, psychedelic access non-profit Heroic Hearts UK, and other leading mental health charities, also wrote letters to the Veterans Minister and the Minister of State for Crime, Policing and Fire, urging them to champion access for patients in the UK.
The latest rapid response covers psychedelics for PTSD including Psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy for treating PTSD, MDMA, Ketamine, Classical Psychedelics and the Regulation of psychedelic drugs used in medicine.
[…] also known as hallucinogens, are a class of psychoactive substances that alter perception, mood and cognitive processes. They work by interacting with […]