Webcast: The Future of Psychedelic Medicine, the Role of the Pharmacy
A panel of experts discuss the future of psychedelic medicine and the role of the pharmacy in that future.
In a webcast discussion, Pharmacy Times interviewed a panel of experts on the future of psychedelic medicine and the role of the pharmacy in that future.
The panel included Kelan Thomas, PharmD, MS, associate professor of clinical sciences at Touro University California College of Pharmacy; Albert Garcia-Romeu, PhD, assistant professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine; Jonathan Sabbagh, chief executive officer and co-founder of Journey Clinical; Kelsey Ramsden, co-founder, president, and chief executive officer of Mind Cure Health; and David Olson, PhD, co-founder and chief innovation officer of Delix Therapeutics and associate professor in the department of chemistry at UC Davis.
The expert panel discussed the following:
- How pharmacists are currently involved in the field of psychedelic medicine.
- What the role of the pharmacist might look like in a collaborative care model that supports psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy.
- Whether a consensus on classification has been reached regarding whether ketamine and cannabis can be categorized as psychedelic drugs.
- How patient access may be affected with the development of non-hallucinogenic compounds that maintain the safety and efficacy of psychedelic medicine.
- How the advancement of non-hallucinogenic compounds might bring psychedelic medicine more firmly into the hands of pharmacists.
- How research into psychedelic medicines might potentially impact conditions or populations that have historically been underrepresented in scientific research.
- What treatment targets are being assessed currently for psychedelic medicine.
- What ideal distribution models might look like to facilitate patient access points.
- Who ideally would be authorized to administer psychedelic medicine.
- Whether policy changes are needed at a federal or state level in order to advance patient access.
- How media can support what needs to be done to advance psychedelics as a field.
- What pharmacy professionals can do to prepare and get more involved in psychedelic medicine.
