President Donald Trump issued an executive order in April 2026 titled "Accelerating Medical Treatments for Serious Mental Illness," which directed federal agencies to accelerate research into psychedelic medicine.

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Former NIMH Director Steven Hyman warned at the STAT Summit that psychiatry lacks objective biomarkers to determine which patients will benefit from psychedelic treatments.

Compass Pathways expects COMP360 to be subject to an FDA risk evaluation and mitigation strategy (REMS) upon approval and is investing in provider training for drug administration.

Former NIMH Director Steven Hyman noted that functional unblinding remains a clinical trial challenge because patients recognize the subjective effects of psychedelic drugs, citing FDA's 2024 rejection of Lykos Therapeutics' MDMA therapy.

COMP360 psilocybin treatment holds Breakthrough Therapy designation from the U.S. FDA and Innovative Licensing and Access Pathway designation in the UK for treatment-resistant depression.

Former NIMH Director Steven Hyman questioned whether subjective psychedelic experiences are necessary for antidepressant efficacy, noting that non-hallucinogenic compounds could allow at-home prescriptions if proven effective.

Canada should exclude mental illness as a sole condition for medically assisted dying

The Trump administration initiative to advance government-funded ibogaine research follows calls from veterans and experts for strict safety standards on psychedelic treatments.

President Donald Trump signed an executive order in April 2026 dedicating $50 million in federal funding toward research into the psychedelic drug ibogaine.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has opened a public docket seeking feedback by November 20, 2026 on trial design, dose selection, patient eligibility, safety monitoring, and oversight for clinical trials of ibogaine.

The Food and Drug Administration has warned that ibogaine carries severe health risks, including life-threatening irregular heart rhythms and potential brain toxicity.

Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies co-executive director Betty Aldworth stated that solving cardiac safety challenges is the central requirement before ibogaine can responsibly reach patients.

Federal funding for ibogaine clinical trials is justified by its therapeutic potential

Public attention on ibogaine was renewed following the death of 27-year-old Presley Gerber, who had traveled to Mexico for high-dose treatment while struggling with addiction.

Due to the lack of approved medical access in the U.S., Americans are paying between $5,000 and $20,000 to travel to specialized clinics in Mexico for ibogaine treatments.

The New York Times identified at least 40 clinics and wellness centers in Mexico offering ibogaine treatments, ranging from luxury operations with medical staff to informal rustic facilities.

Outro plans to use its $7 million in capital to expand its network of deprescribing clinicians and develop artificial intelligence clinical decision support tools.

Approximately one in six Americans take an antidepressant medication, and average duration of use has surpassed five years.

Outro's deprescribing platform incorporates personalized hyperbolic tapering plans, compounded medication doses, patient monitoring, and specially-trained clinicians.

Outro plans to expand its tapering model into additional medication classes beyond antidepressants, including benzodiazepines, gabapentinoids, and GLP-1s.

Research led by Dr. Mark Horowitz found that four in five long-term antidepressant users were unable to stop taking their medications due to withdrawal symptoms.