PAREA re-establishes MEP Action Group on Psychedelics in Healthcare and supports the launch of the PsychedeliCare Initiative at the European Parliament
On February 6, more than 100 attendees gathered at the European Parliament, with 300 more joining online, showcasing a call to action for unlocking the potential of psychedelic therapies in the EU. Moderated by PAREA Board MemberFrédéric Destrebecq, the event brought together policymakers, researchers, clinicians, patient representatives, national PsychedeliCare teams, and civil society to discuss the future of psychedelic therapies for mental health care. “This is one of the biggest events that took place in the Parliament in a while, and there are a lot of events happening in healthcare, so this shows how important this topic is.” noted MEP Tomislav Sokol.
For PAREA, the date marked our first event of the year at the European Parliament and the official re-launch of our MEP Action Group on Psychedelics in Healthcare, towards advancing evidence-based mental health innovation. Host MEP Tilly Metz (Greens/EFA) and co-host MEP Tomislav Sokol (EPP)—both members of our Action Group and, respectively, First Vice-Chair and EPP Coordinator of the newly formed SANT Committee—delivered impactful opening and closing remarks. Side-by-side, they each underscored the ground-breaking potential of psychedelic therapies: MEP Metz highlighted their potential to alleviate suffering for those facing severe mental health challenges, when administered in structured, safe environments, while MEP Sokol stressed the EU’s role in supporting essential research for the development of these innovative treatments in Europe. Polish MEPs Bogdan Zdrojewski and Dariusz Joński were also in attendance.
The event also marked the launch of the PsychedeliCare European Citizens’ Initiative year-long signature-collection campaign, introduced by PsychedeliCare founder Théo Giubilei. The Initiative calls on the European Commission to support the establishment of expert clinical and ethical standards for psychedelic therapies in the EU, to enhance research into the therapeutic applications of psychedelics, and to promote the evidence-based rescheduling of psychedelic substances.
The presentations continued with Laetitia Vanderijst (Université Libre de Bruxelles) offering an introduction and historical perspectives on the therapeutic use of psychedelics, and Dr. David Erritzoe (Imperial College London) providing an overview of the current state of scientific research in the area. PAREA’s Francisca Silva highlighted the urgent need for innovative treatments targeting unmet medical needs in mental health and the role of EU public funding in addressing this, presenting the Horizon-funded PsyPal project as a key example.
A particularly powerful moment came from Andrea Siclari, who delivered a personal testimonial as a patient who sought psychedelic-assisted therapy after having been diagnosed with colon cancer. He shared about his experiences participating in a clinical study on LSD-assisted therapy for anxiety associated with life-threatening illness and in subsequent psychedelic-assisted group therapy sessions, in Switzerland. Reflecting on the intention he’d set for his therapy during one of his first LSD sessions, he recounted: “I connected, in that moment, to that question, and the reply I received was: you are alive today, and that is all that matters. Past, present—it did not exist anymore. And that teaching is something that shapes my view of life and death today.”
“It is heartening to know that this event not only marks the beginning of an advocacy journey, but also provides a platform to highlight the lived experience of patients. Their voices are at the core of this movement, reminding us why this work matters so much.” said MEP Tilly Metz. The value of centering patient experiences in the conversation around psychedelic therapies cannot be overstated, and we are deeply grateful to Andrea for sharing his story. You can watch his full testimonial here.
We’d like to express our heartfelt thanks to both MEPs for dedicating their valuable time and support of our cause. We are also sincerely thankful to PsychedeliCare for our collaboration in organising this event, and stand in full support of their important campaign, which you can sign here.
