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home / 世界杯决赛2022

psychedelic therapy stifled by new alberta regulations, clinic operators say

the government says the new rules strengthen safety in a still-fledgling field employing drugs that can be misused

by bill kaufmann
published jan 09, 2023
last updated jan 10, 2023
read time 3 minute read
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read time 3 minute read
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"(the government) sees it coming but are making a concerted effort to shut it down," said david harder, co-ceo of atma, canada's first palliative care program based on psychedelic-assisted therapy. darren makowichuk/postmedia
regulations the province insists are meant to put alberta at the forefront of psychedelic therapy are actually restricting access to such treatment, say some clinic operators. last october, the alberta government unveiled first-in-canada regulations governing the growing field that uses substances such as ketamine and psilocybin, the active ingredient in magic mushrooms to treat conditions like depression and post-traumatic stress disorder.
the government says they’re rules that strengthen safety in a still-fledgling field employing drugs that can be misused.
but operators of some therapy sites that have been offering the treatment say the regulation’s requirement that a psychiatrist be part of a clinic’s team dramatically limits access to the treatment.
“less than five per cent of psychiatrists here are willing to be involved in this therapy,” said david harder, who operates the atma journey centre in calgary.
“our concern is accessibility — how do we make these treatments accessible to most because a lot of people can’t afford (psychiatrist-supervised) treatment or wait 18 months?”
therapy previously performed by some of the clinics would be halted or reduced by the regulation, even though the employment of illegal drugs like psilocybin and mdma are governed by health canada, which allows some exemptions for their medical use under a so-called special access program, he said.
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harder fears the provincial rules, which take effect this month, will make it harder for albertans to take advantage of what he sees is the federal government’s intention to liberalize the availability of psychedelics.
“we believe the work being done in trials, and health canada’s indications they want to move this to a drug identification number, and make it available to prescription (could be negated),” he said.
david harder, co-ceo of atma at atma’s calgary journey clinic.
david harder, co-ceo of atma at atma’s calgary journey clinic. darren makowichuk/postmedia
he points to the state of oregon’s move to legalize the use of psilocybin in therapy that requires the licensing of trained, non-psychiatrist facilitators as a better path for alberta.
harder said it’s ironic the alberta government is placing more barriers to the treatment just as psychedelics’ potential in making brains more flexible and amenable to therapy is becoming increasingly known.
“(they) see it coming but are making a concerted effort to shut it down,” said harder, adding physicians who now prescribe anti-depressants should be able to do the same with psychedelics.
another clinic operator agreed the regulations effectively make it more difficult to use ketamine for therapy.
“they’ve reclassified ketamine … they’ve reduced access by lumping ketamine in with these other (restricted drugs),” said jim parker, ceo of calgary’s bloom psychedelic therapy and research centre.
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he predicts the rules will lead patients to go to other provinces for treatment.
parker said the regulations come with a possible conflict of interest due to the involvement of dr. robert tanguay in their development.
tanguay, a psychiatrist with a long history in developing treatments for mental health, pain control and addictions, is chief medical officer and vice-president of business development with the newly institute, which includes psychedelics in its treatment programs.
a person who owns a clinic should not be involved in creating regulations for it, parker said.
mike ellis, then-associate minister of mental health and addictions, listens to dr. robert tanguay, co-chair of the alberta pain strategy and co-lead of its rapid access addiction medicine program on wednesday, oct. 5, 2022 in edmonton.
mike ellis, then-associate minister of mental health and addictions, listens to dr. robert tanguay, co-chair of the alberta pain strategy and co-lead of its rapid access addiction medicine program on wednesday, oct. 5, 2022 in edmonton. greg southam / postmedia
it’s vital to note the new regulations don’t require a psychiatrist be present at therapy sessions but that “service providers appoint a medical director, who is a psychiatrist, to oversee all clinically related aspects of the service,” said colin aitchison, spokesman for mental health and addiction.
“the monitoring, treatment and care of patients in an altered state of consciousness can be provided by authorized regulated members and other individuals approved by the medical director.”
because the science of psychedelics in therapy is still emerging, ensuring clinics have psychiatrists as medical directors enhances safety, he said.
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and while aitchison didn’t mention tanguay by name, he said the regulations were developed through consultations with a wide range of medical experts, academics and industry players as well as regulatory colleges.
“their knowledge and diverse perspectives have helped shape the regulation and standards to protect albertans, while ensuring access to promising treatments,” he said.
tanguay didn’t respond to a request for comment monday but last october dismissed conflict of interest accusations, saying he’d disclosed any potential issues with government officials.
charlaine sleiman, a health canada spokeswoman, said alberta’s regulatory changes “introduce additional safeguards and oversight for the delivery of psychedelic health services in their province.”
“at this time, there are no authorized therapeutic products containing psychedelics other than ketamine in canada or elsewhere.”
while psychedelics like psilocybin and mdma have shown promise in clinical trials, more research is required, she added.
even so, she said that up until mid-october last year, health canada granted health-care practitioners 32 sap exemptions for use of psilocybin in treatment and another 81 authorizations for patients under subsection 56(1) requests.
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bkaufmann@postmedia.com
@billkaufmannjrn

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