PAREA is delighted to welcome Nico Gusac as our new Communications Officer!

Today, the EU4Health Civil Society Alliance launched Health4Europe—a strategic blueprint for the next EU Health Programme. Its goal is to ensure that health remains a top political and financial priority in the upcoming Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF), and to further strengthen the European Health Union.

On Wednesday, February 26th, 2025, a significant milestone was reached in the evolution of psychedelic science and medicine in the Nordic region. In Reykjavik, Iceland, during the conference Psychedelics as Medicine, representatives from all the Nordic psychedelic associations came together for an unprecedented moment of unity.

PAREA will be present next week at  Psychedelic Science 2025, in Denver, Colorado! 

PAREA has submitted a response to the European Commission’s open call for evidence on the EU Biotech Act: “Shaping the EU Biotech Act to Unlock Mental-Health Innovation”. We welcome this ambition, which has highlighted mental health as a critical priority.

The EU Drugs Agency (EUDA) has released its annual European Drug Report, focusing on emerging trends in the European drug market. It includes a chapter on the growing interest in psychedelics for therapeutic use.

The Czech Parliament has passed a significant law allowing psilocybin therapy for mental health conditions like depression, anxiety, and addiction.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has issued a rapid communication on its forthcoming guideline on controlled medicines, designed to support national policies that strike a balance between access and safety. PAREA was honoured to be invited to join the External Review Group for this new guideline.

A new European research network focused on psychedelics has been approved for funding under the COST (European Cooperation in Science and Technology) programme.

New PAREA Policy Paper: “Leading, not Lagging: Putting Mental Health at the Core of Europe’s Innovation and Competitiveness Agenda.”

On May 12, the Champalimaud Foundation hosted the official launch of Portugal’s Multidisciplinary Recommendations on the Clinical Use of Psychedelic Substances.

In April, PAREA Project Officer Francisca Silva took part in Breaking Convention - one of Europe’s largest and most diverse conferences on psychedelic research.

As part of the EU-funded PsyPal project, our Founder and Executive Director, Tadeusz Hawrot, recently participated in a two-day Design Thinking Workshop hosted by IESE Business School in Barcelona.

PAREA has provided feedback on the European Commission’s initiative for a new multidisciplinary life sciences strategy, emphasising a clear message: mental health innovation should be a strategic priority on the agenda.

In a joint open letter from the EU4Health Civil Society Alliance (CSA) to Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, 35 organisations — including PAREA — urge the European Commission to take immediate action to secure stable and timely funding for health civil society organisations (CSOs).

PAREA’s annual Impact Report, compiling all our activities, contributions and achievements for the year of 2024, is now available!

The European Medicines Agency (EMA) has published the third revision of its “Guideline on the clinical investigation of medicinal products for the treatment of depression”, set to take effect in September 2025.

Last week, the Ukrainian Ministry of Health took an important step toward enabling scientific research with psychedelics. Two key draft documents were published for public consultation, laying the foundation for legal psychedelic research in Ukraine—something that, not long ago, would have seemed entirely out of reach.

Mental health is critically important to everyone, everywhere. Yet, it stands out as an area with some of the most glaring unmet needs. Psychedelic therapies have the potential to address critical gaps in treatment for various mental health conditions in Europe. However, before reaching patients, they must first gain approval from the European Medicines Agency (EMA), followed by integration into national healthcare systems for accessibility and reimbursement.

The EU4Health Civil Society Alliance has publicly shared concerns over the ongoing lack of information on the EU4Health work programme and operating grants for 2025 - apprehensions shared by PAREA.