PAREA met with Alexis Goosdeel, Director of the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA) and his four colleagues. EMCDDA plays an important role in terms of providing evidence-based information to policymakers. To that end, PAREA was informed that the agency is currently working on a project to facilitate a greater understanding of the developments in the area of psychedelic substances for medical use.

A related publication is expected around April next year.

PAREA’s founder recently met with members of the European Parliament Alex Agius Saliba and Cyrus Engeler who will facilitate contacts with two EP groups: EU Medicinal Cannabis Alliance and Mental Health CoalitionAdditionally, Mr Hawrot met with Tim Raemekers from DG Research, EC to discuss what opportunities for psychedelic research holds the EU Horizon Europe research programme and Magda Chlebus, from the European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations to discuss what are the barriers for big pharma for engaging with psychedelic R&D and to discuss possible project ideas for the Innovative Health Initiative.

At a recent meeting of EMA’s Chief Medical Officer Steffen Thirstrup, PAREA asked the agency to take a lead on bringing various EU institutions, agencies, scientists, and civil society together, similarly to what was done in the US earlier this year by the Federal National Institutes and National Academies. To that end, EMA could co-organize a European workshop with the US FDA and European stakeholders to discuss the future of psychedelic-assisted therapies in Europe.

PAREA met with Director for Health Systems, Medical Products and Innovation - Andrzej Ryś. The Commission is currently performing an extensive revision of the EU General Pharmaceutical Legislation and PAREA was requested to provide additional information on the psychedelic therapies, which could feed into the revision process. Additionally, following PAREA’s suggestion to organize an EU institution-led workshop exploring the future of psychedelics in Europe, the EC advised that PAREA engages with EMA in this regard. EMA would be best placed to organize such an event with the US NIH/FDA and in collaboration with other EU institutions.

The US Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) recently withdrew a proposal to ban five psychedelic substances thanks to an expert submission from PAREA chair - Professor David Nutt.

Tadeusz Hawrot features in three videos at the 8th Congress of the European Academy of Neurology in Vienna for the Video Journal of Neurology - an independent, global, open-access video journal, dedicated to providing trusted and up-to-date information in order to improve the awareness and understanding of neurology.

Tadeusz Hawrot met with Hugh Laverty, Head of Scientific Operations and Elisabetta Vaudano, Principal Scientific Manager & Responsible Strategic Area Neuroscience. In this meeting they discussed methods to translate health research and innovation into tangible benefits for patients and society, and ensure that Europe remains at the cutting edge of interdisciplinary, sustainable, patient-centric health research.

PAREA’s proposal to have an EU mental health strategy was acknowledged alongside ideas from other stakeholders. These suggestions were made into a poster format and shared with several hundreds of participants at a recent online EU4Health meeting. The Commission will also share all the posters with the relevant EU member states’ health authorities.

New EU partnership PAREA sets to pave the way for psychedelic-assisted therapies to help patients in areas of huge unmet needs says Tadeusz Hawrot, founder and policy lead at PAREA.

PAREA members launched a Call to Action to European decision makers-bringing together our key priorities and policy asks.

EU4Health is seeking the opinions of stakeholders about current and future EU health priorities, strategic orientations and key health needs to be addressed through EU4Health annual Work Programmes.

PAREA recently submitted a contribution to this consultation arguing that psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy ought to be a key priority for EU healthcare over the next few years.

“The Psychedelic Access and Research European Alliance (PAREA) is aiming to advance the dialogue around the implementation of psychedelic healthcare in Europe.” - Psychedelic Health

For the first time, in known history, EU policy recommendations were made featuring psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy.

”New models of innovative/unusual treatments when they target unmet needs or vulnerable situations, for instance, psychedelic assisted therapies for brain disorders, which constitute a paradigm shift in the pharmacological space because these therapies will need to be registered as both a medicinal product and therapy.”

PAREA provided recommendations on future areas for excellent, innovative and translational brain research in Europe. Shared European Brain Research Agenda covers all brain research fields and brain disorders, including both psychiatric and neurological disorders and will serve as a framework to guide future brain research investments in Europe.

PAREA calls on the EU to embark on more research activity and to stimulate innovation with regard to the use of psychedelics for medicinal purposes.

The European Commission is working on a new ‘Healthier Together’ – EU Non-communicable diseases initiative to support EU countries in reducing the burden of NCDs, focusing on 5 key areas, including mental and neurological disorders. PAREA contributed to this initiative by making a detailed submission as part of the stakeholder consultations

A part of the bi-monthly investor series, this virtual Microdose Conference explores the new technologies driving the industry, the scope of psychedelic investments and the prospects. It offers a forum to connect businesses to the top capitalists and investors of the psychedelic spectrum. These online sessions offer tremendous networking scope where businesses build strong ties and associations.