Psilocybin Therapy for Canadians in End-of-Life Distress

Help Legalize Therapeutic Psilocybin in Canada

TheraPsil is advocating for medical psilocybin regulations to make access to medical psilocybin, and psilocybin therapy a safe, regulated and accessible treatment option in Canada.

Help Legalize Therapeutic Psilocybin in Canada

Psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy is the professionally guided use of psilocybin (magic mushrooms) in combination with psychotherapy and differs greatly from the recreational use of psychedelics. This clinically tested treatment program encompasses careful medical oversight of the medicine session, as well as intention setting and integration psychotherapy sessions (without psilocybin) that help prepare an individual for lasting healing.

Psilocybin therapy for palliative care and treatment-resistant health conditions (treatment-resistant depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, substance use disorders, cluster headaches, etc..) is a safe, compassionate, effective, and reasonable treatment option for Canadians in medical need that has been proven by rigorous clinical research studies and confirmed by real-world anecdotal evidence.

What problems are patients facing?

Over 38 Canadians in medical need, supported by TheraPsil, have received approved section 56 exemptions from Federal Health Minister, Patty Hajdu allowing them to legally use, possess, and transport psilocybin in the context of psilocybin therapy. Unfortunately, there are many more Canadians, equally suffering who have been waiting months for a response from the Minister.

Section 56 exemptions, where the Minister of Health grants individual exemptions for psilocybin use to patients on a case-by-case basis, while beneficial to open the door to compassionate access over the past year, is not a sustainable model to offer healthcare. When some patients are approved for this treatment option, and others are not, it is clear: section 56 exemptions are arbitrary, discriminatory, and infringe upon patients section 15 charter rights.

Health Canada dragging feet on approving magic mushrooms for therapeutic use, patients and advocates say

What is the solution?

Canada urgently needs a change in regulations that would allow medical psilocybin and psilocybin therapy to be accessible through consultation between a patient and their healthcare provider, not through case-by-case exemptions granted by the Federal Minister of Health.

In August 2021, TheraPsil, in consultation with patients, lawyers, and policy experts drafted a proposed framework for medical psilocybin in Canada.

View Proposed Regulations

Why demand medical regulations for psilocybin, now?

Psilocybin therapy is a reasonable treatment option

Section 56 exemptions are not sustainable

To date, Minister Hajdu has approved 39 individual exemptions so Canadians in medical need can use and possess psilocybin for a medical purpose. Over the past couple of months, the Minister has stopped granting Section 56 exemptions, except for palliative patients. The process of applying for, advocating for, and waiting for section 56 exemptions is slow, resource-intensive, triggering for patients, often exacerbating suffering, and does not guarantee a response from the Minister, as exemptions are approved on a ‘case by case' basis.

Section 56 exemptions are arbitrary and discriminatory

Non-palliative Canadians who are equally suffering (Treatment-Resistant Depression, PTSD, Substance use disorders, cluster headaches, etc.), deserve equal access to safe, legal psilocybin therapy, but their section 56 exemptions are being ignored by the Minister, in some cases for upwards of over 140 days.

1. Section 56 exemptions are arbitrary and discriminatory
2. The Minister is not accountable to respond to applications in a timely manner

Healthcare Professionals need access to psilocybin for training

Patients need a safe supply of psilocybin

Psilocybin therapy is a healthcare decision, not a political decision

As the mental health crisis continues to expand in Canada, we desperately and urgently need a change in drug regulations that would allow psilocybin to be accessible through consultation with a healthcare professional similar to medical cannabis or medical assistance in dying.

1. A patient’s decision to pursue psilocybin therapy as a suitable treatment option should be a healthcare decision made between a patient and their Health Care Provider, not an administrative decision made on a case-by-case basis by the highest levels of government (Federal Health Minister Patty Hajdu, Health Canada).

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Canadians are ready for regulatory change

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Learn More

TheraPsil is hosting a 5-week webinar series, every other Wednesday at 4pm PST starting on October 20th 2021 where you can learn about psilocybin therapy and the urgent need for regulatory change, first-hand from patients, healthcare professionals, and advocates.

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Therapsil in the News

Core Spore Supporters

Without the generosity of our supporters, our research, training, public education and advocacy wouldn’t be possible for Canadians seeking legal psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy. Thank you to the inspiring organizations and individuals who believe in TheraPsil to create and sustain an ethical psychedelics industry in Canada, our initiatives would not be possible without your support.

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