PAREA submitted feedback to 2 EU consultations on mental health

In May, PAREA submitted feedback to two European consultations focusing on mental health: the Horizon Europe work programme Cluster 1, addressing diseases and reducing disease burden, and the EU survey "Transforming Health and Care Systems."

The EU Survey aims to identify challenges and issues in health and care systems and their broader economic impact. Meanwhile, the Horizon consultation seeks to provide policymakers with a better understanding of the requirements for innovative health technologies and personalised medicine.

In response to the Horizon consultation, PAREA emphasised the need for more therapeutic options for mental health and pointed at psychedelic treatments as promising new class of treatment for conditions like addiction and depression.

Through its feedback on the Survey, PAREA highlighted the significant differences in the EU regulatory framework regarding psychedelic clinical trials. It noted that the EU lags behind countries like the US, despite the OECD acknowledging the increasing economic burden of mental health disorders in Europe.