Canada should be ‘world leader’ on alternative PTSD therapies, veteran says

By Sean Boynton Global News
Posted November 10, 2024

WATCH: After being injured in Canada's longest, most expensive war effort, one veteran created and fundraised an exhibit to help ensure the efforts of those who served — and the memories those who died — aren't forgotten. Mercedes Stephenson explains  

A Canadian Forces veteran who served in Afghanistan says Canada should be a “world leader” on alternative therapies for treating veterans’ post-traumatic stress disorder and other post-combat trauma, including the use of psychedelics.

Retired MCpl. Gordon Hurley says psychedelic treatments such as ketamine and psilocybin, or “magic mushrooms,” can give veterans “a breath of relief” from their trauma or addictions, pointing to his own experience, and is calling for further study and coverage for physician-assisted therapies.

“I really think we’re in a unique position as a country, with such a liberal view on health care and life, that we should be able to be a world leader in providing alternative therapies,” he told Mercedes Stephenson in an interview that aired Sunday on The West Block ahead of Remembrance Day.

“We should be doing the same thing with our veterans just how you send us to war. A majority of the time we’re saying, ‘Send me, send me.’ We can do the same thing with these types of treatments.”

Hurley deployed to Afghanistan in the summer of 2008, just 15 months after joining the military and completing basic training. He was injured by an improvised explosive device but returned to the battlefield just three weeks after surgery.

2:21

Nova Scotia company to examine magic mushrooms as PTSD treatment



More than 40,000 Canadians served in Afghanistan, many on multiple tours during the 20-year global War on Terror, and 165 Canadian Armed Forces members died there.

Many veterans of that war returned to Canada suffering not just from PTSD but also traumatic brain injuries and effects from toxic burn pit exposure, among other traumas.

Research has suggested recent veterans have had a higher rate of mental health and addiction issues compared to older veterans and the overall Canadian population.

Veterans Affairs Canada is conducting research and clinical trials into the use of ketamine as a treatment for traumatic brain injuries and depression, but has yet to launch a similar project on psilocybin. Independent studies have been launched across Canada in recent years into psychedelic treatments

A Senate committee report last December urged the federal government to “immediately” conduct a “major research program” into how psychedelics can help veterans suffering from PTSD. The report said research already exists into the effectiveness of such treatments and warned Canada is falling behind other countries in studying them.

The United States has funded research into psychedelic treatments for veterans, but the U.S. FDA this year rejected an approval for MDMA treatment, calling for further study.

Briefing notes prepared for the veterans affairs minister last year say the department only provides financial coverage for treatments that are supported by solid research, and says approved psychological and psychiatric treatments are the “first-line evidence-based” approach to treating PTSD and other mental issues.

2:01

Psychedelics approved for medical use in Canada

“Western treatment is completely fine,” Hurley said. “There’s nothing wrong with prescription drugs or SSDIs (antidepressants), whatever is going to work to get that person off the ledge is worth it. But there are other treatment options.”

Hurley said he travels to Mexico to receive treatment through psychedelics through a clinic run by Canadian doctors, and touted their effectiveness.

Besides psychedelics, Hurley also pointed to a treatment known as stellate ganglion block, which numbs nerves in the neck and “basically resets your nervous system,” he said. The treatment has been studied at multiple Canadian hospitals and universities and has been called “miraculous” in treating PTSD.

“To get that initial breath and that initial pause where they don’t have the cravings for their addiction, or they don’t have the annoyances of trauma, of post-traumatic stress, of perhaps being too freaked out to go into public spaces or noises and all these other detriments to the veteran’s life … we could be fixing with different types of treatment,” he said.

Hurley said the government should particularly cover assisted treatment programs that allow doctors to work with patients and ensure veterans are taking the proper treatments and dosages.

“The doctor is going to have specific training to deal with psychedelics and how that integrates into a person’s life,” he said.

“We’re so new to it. It’s not anyone’s fault, but we should really be ahead of the curve on this.”

Psychedelic therapy provides hope for veterans

Story by Maya Goldman


Psychedelic therapy provides hope for veterans

Veterans are campaigning to take psychedelic therapy for post-traumatic stress disorder mainstream, despite the Food and Drug Administration's rejection of an ecstasy-based therapy in August.

Why it matters: About 29% of veterans who fought in Afghanistan and Iraq will have PTSD at some point in their lives, according to the Department of Veterans Affairs. Veteran suicide rates are also higher than in the general population.

"The thirst is very palpable among our generation" of veterans for alternative mental health therapies, Allison Jaslow, CEO of Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, told Axios.

Catch up quick: Psychedelics like magic mushrooms, LSD and ecstasy can alter a person's state of mind and cause hallucinations.
It's been nearly impossible to research their effects, because they've been criminalized and classified as controlled substances since 1970.
But interest in psychedelics' potential to treat mental health conditions — particularly in veterans — has grown in recent years.
The FDA in 2017 granted fast-track review of a PTSD treatment that mixes ecstasy with talk therapy.

The VA started funding research into psychedelic therapies this year. Congress also passed bipartisan legislation directing the Pentagon to study the treatments.
In the meantime, more than 1,200 veterans traveled to other countries for psychedelic therapies through one nonprofit alone, said Jesse Gould, founder of that organization, Heroic Hearts Project.

But the FDA in August rejected the therapy it had originally fast-tracked, following an independent review that highlighted concerns like missing safety data and allegations of misconduct in clinical trials.

Zoom in: The decision felt like a major setback to veterans.
"It was emotionally just gut-wrenching, thinking about all of those veterans, and all the other people, for that matter, that were just really counting on being able to access this as a solution for their debilitating PTSD," said Juliana Mercer, a Marine Corps veteran and director at veterans advocacy group Healing Breakthrough.
The FDA rejection pushes mental health progress back years, added Gould, a former Army Ranger. It "indicates to veterans that they are not being listened to and they're not a priority."

Where it stands: Veterans are continuing to work toward broadening access to psychedelic therapies.
State-level action is also picking up. Oregon and Colorado have legalized psychedelic mushrooms for therapeutic use. But Massachusetts voters last week rejected a ballot proposal to legalize psychedelics.

What's next: The company behind the rejected ecstasy-based therapy now has a new acting CEO and chief medical officer, and it announced last month that it will run a new clinical trial on the PTSD treatment.

The VA has reportedly said it would consider funding the trial.
The FDA also fast-tracked review for a psychedelic mushroom therapy, though the company running that trial announced recently that it's delaying a key data release.

The new clinical trials will likely take at least two more years, Mercer predicted.
But the extended timeline means the VA "is going to be more prepared to effectively roll out a psychedelic program," she said. "I'm choosing to look at that as a silver lining."

Smoking toad venom helps veterans with PTSD, addiction, and depression

Allan Rose Hill
Mon Nov 11, 2024
BOING!BOING!


image: Deep Desert Photography/Shutterstock (manipulated)

Zach Skiles is a veteran and clinical psychologist who, informed by his own experiences, is helping other veterans deal with PTSD, depression, and drug addiction. As a researcher with University of California at San Francisco, Skiles leads veterans through psychedelic experiences to help alleviate some of their suffering. The participants are first given ibogaine—a natural stimulant with psychedelic properties found in the West African shrub iboga. After a long "group healing" session, they are administered 5-MeO-DMT, an extremely powerful and short-lasting psychedelic found in the venom of the Sonoran Desert toad. (Both compounds can also be synthesized in a laboratory.) Unfortunately. both of these compounds are illegal in the United States so the veterans must travel to Mexico for the actual treatments. In honor of Veteran's Day, the always-excellent Microdose republished Jan C. Hu's 2021 interview with Skiles:

What aspects of psychedelic therapy might help treat veterans in particular?

In treating PTSD, psychedelics enhance your ability to bring up trauma and simultaneously see it from different angles. Everything feels new, more revelatory and connected. There's the ability to take a step back and experience something in a totally new way.

One of the cooler things about psychedelic assisted therapies is you're not only getting those cognitive pieces, but you're also getting somatic, cathartic experiences at the same time. For people who've experienced sexual assault or combat exposure, you cut off a lot of sensation from your body and reconnecting to it is actually one of the main goals of all therapies. Having that experience along with these cognitive pieces is something that they call a codex condensed experience — it's happening in different constellations of the mind and body[…]

These therapies aren't legal in the U.S. What drove you and other vets to seek out these experiences in Mexico?

There's a bit of desperation; people have to leave the country to be able to get these therapies. These are folks who have spent careers in the U.S. Special Forces, with blast injuries or lesions on their brain. It's a group of folks who have tried every single therapy that's offered in the United States and have come up wanting more. They had to leave the country in order to have a therapeutic experience, and not be arrested for it.

It's important to give guys an ability to have the most up to date therapeutic access, but in the U.S.; it's also important for this to become regulated. We operate in the underground because that's the only place we can do this kind of thing.

Previously:
• FDA denies approval of MDMA-assisted therapy for PTSD
• These psychonauts are in training to take DMT trips that last hours or even days and report back… for science
• 'Please refrain from licking' toads, says National Park Service in unusual warning

 

Healing, spiritual purposes drive many veterans’ use of psychedelics

In survey, 85% of veterans report they benefited from the experience

Ohio State University

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Most U.S. military veterans who have used psychedelics reported in a recent study that they pursued the substances for healing or spiritual exploration, and over 80% said they benefited from the experience – even those who had challenging outcomes.

The survey also indicated many of the veterans would be more likely to seek mental health care, or return to care, at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) if psychedelic-assisted therapy were offered.

Findings from this comprehensive examination of veterans’ experiences with psychedelics can give clinicians a clearer understanding of the veteran community’s expectations and specific needs for mental health care, researchers say.

“Because of all of the complexity that veterans are experiencing and the higher risk they’re at for experiencing not just one, but several mental health and physical health-related challenges, it makes sense that they would be searching for opportunities to address those challenges, especially when they feel like they’re not being met with the current system here in the U.S.,” said lead author Alan Davis, associate professor and director of the Center for Psychedelic Drug Research and Education at The Ohio State University College of Social Work.

The study was published recently in the Journal of Psychoactive Drugs.

The VA estimates that more than 17 U.S. veterans die by suicide each day, according to 2021 data. And studies suggest between 44% and 72% of veterans are highly stressed during the transition from military to civilian life.

The research team, which included veterans, consulted with other past military service members to design a survey examining patterns of psychedelic use, perspectives of those who did and did not report use, and what kinds of benefits and adverse outcomes were associated with veterans’ use of the drugs. Veterans were referred to the survey through online advertisements and communities, email invitations and word of mouth.

“Understanding military veteran culture is crucial for civilian therapists working with this population,” said co-author Mark Bates, a retired U.S. Air Force pilot and clinical psychologist at Sunstone Therapies, a Maryland treatment center researching psychedelic-assisted therapies.

“It’s about avoiding inadvertently undermining the therapeutic relationship and knowing how to use military culture as an effective frame of reference. This is also part of the reason of why we carefully consulted with a team of veteran advisers in the development and validation of the survey questions.”

With veteran advocacy for access to psychedelic-assisted therapy increasing in recent years, Bates said, “There is a really pressing need to explore anything that’s promising for mental health treatment.”

The survey sample consisted of 426 participants categorized into two groups – those who had (217) and had not (209) used psychedelics. Drugs used by veterans included psilocybin (magic mushrooms), LSD, ketamine, MDMA (ecstasy), ayahuasca, ibogaine, 5-MeO-DMT (toad) and peyote/mescaline. The most commonly reported reasons for use were healing or treatment (69%), spiritual exploration (47.5%) or recreation (38.7%).

Compared to veterans who had not used psychedelics, the veterans who had taken the drugs were more likely to be older and had spent more time deployed during their service, and a larger proportion of them reported PTSD, depression and anxiety.

While some participants were alone when they used psychedelics, many reported taking them in spiritual locations or outdoors, with friends, or in medical clinics or retreat centers – both in the United States and abroad.

Overall, participants rated the psychedelic experiences as beneficial whether they considered the experience uniformly positive (88.6%) or endured one or more adverse outcomes (81.3%). The most common adverse outcomes were flashbacks and craving or trying to reduce use of psychedelics. Fewer participants reported being arrested or seeking medical treatment in relation to using the drugs.

Statistical analysis identified a number of factors that lowered the likelihood of having negative outcomes: being older, using psilocybin, having depression or anxiety, obtaining psychedelics from a safe source, being prepared, comfortable and confident during the treatment, and being able to trust, let go and be open to the experience.

“This finding highlights the importance of people in the veteran community knowing that keeping these things in mind prior to use can help set them up for the best possible outcome,” Davis said.

With most psychedelic substances classified as Schedule I drugs under the Controlled Substances Act, the only legal way for most people to access them in the United States currently is in a clinical trial setting. Davis is leading a current psilocybin-assisted therapy study at Ohio State for the treatment of PTSD among military veterans, and Bates and colleagues at Sunstone Therapies have treated many veterans to date.

Finding that surveyed veterans would welcome a chance to access psychedelic-assisted therapy at the VA is an important highlight of the study, the researchers said.

“What’s really exciting about this study and understanding veterans’ interest in psychedelic-assisted therapy is it’s potentially opening up an opportunity to address some of their core challenges head-on,” Davis said. “Veterans are dying by suicide and fleeing the country to find these opportunities in other places, so the message is clear. This needs to be available.”

Additional co-authors were Nathan Sepeda, Adam Levin and Stacey Armstrong of Ohio State; independent researcher Erik Lund; Robert Koffman of Sunstone Therapies; Katinka Hooyer of the Medical College of Wisconsin; and Rachel Yehuda of the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai.

This work was supported by private donors, the Cammack Family Gift Fund, the Center for Psychedelic Psychotherapy and Trauma Research at the Icahn Medical School, the Johns Hopkins Center for Psychedelic and Consciousness Research, and the CPDRE at Ohio State.

#

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Journal

Journal of Psychoactive Drugs

DOI

10.1080/02791072.2024.2401977 

Method of Research

Survey

Subject of Research

People

Article Title

The Epidemiology of Psychedelic Use Among United States Military Veterans

 

Do Not Go Gently into that Good Supermarket

by Justin Kolber / September 27th, 2024

How to rage against the snack aisle.

Don’t panic. The supermarket doors had just locked while I was standing in the checkout line. “Everyone stay exactly where you are. We have an amber alert for a lost child.”

Head down, act natural, Justin.

Looking down, there was nothing natural about my shopping basket, packed with the most ultra-processed food on the planet. As an American, you can proudly call me the number one consumer of snack foods worldwide (Japan is number two, Canada number six). They say only two-thirds of daily calories for American children and teens come from ultra-processed food. I say we can do 100%! And so what if the latest and largest study of over 10 million people showed that consuming ultra-processed food was associated with 32 health problems, especially heart disease-related deaths, Type 2 diabetes, and common mental health issues like anxiety and depression?

Standing in the checkout line that evening while they searched for a lost kid, I didn’t register any anxiety. Like my childhood hero, He-Man, I had the powerrrrrr . . . to disassociate. Besides, I looked completely trustworthy. I just came from the gym, wearing my hoodie—hood up—and baggy workout pants. At 25 years old, I stood 6’3”, scraggly scruff, vacant furtive eyes, plus my aura of anger.

Pay no attention to my shopping basket loaded with kid-friendly junk food. Because when you’re as numb as I am, one little box of animal crackers won’t soothe the raging belly beast. I had the frilly stuff, like Rice Krispie treats, party-size bags of gummi bears, and Funfetti Oreos. Which by the way, why are there so many flavors of Oreos today? Growing up we had two. I remember the first time I ate double-stuff Oreos. They’re like MDMA crème sandwiches—Oreos make me want to hug you and do more.

I basically had enough sugared treats to dose a small child into a cotton-candy coma and everyone saw it. Even the store manager was coming at me. I dropped my basket to the floor and prepared to scream: “Wait! It’s not me! I’ve been doing paleo and skipping carbs!”

And then the doors unlocked. They found the kid wandering the produce section.

After my exit, I should have been thinking: maybe I have a problem. That night of the amber alert, my food compulsions almost got me on a registry because some kid didn’t know their way around lettuce. Where was my red dye 40 alert? Something to let me know about the link between ultra-processed food and obsessive overeating; or that processed food hooks us through an endless combination of addictive chemical seasonings.

Instead, I threw myself back into the Food Lion’s den to take on their “patisserie” aisle. By the way, South Burlington isn’t Paris, just call it a bakery. You’re a grubby fluorescent chain store peddling chemically-injected corn and soy widgets. Over seventy percent of packaged food options are ultra-processed, containing excessive levels of salt, sugar and fat. Still, I couldn’t resist their latest concoction. Chunky chocolate-chip cookies with rainbow sprinkles, straddling a thick layer of stable cream puff, and each one the size of my sasquatch fist. I must have them all.

A nice, older woman with graying, curled hair delicately packed four in a fancy box. As if two minutes from now I wasn’t going to shred the box, shove that crimped gold ribbon under my car seat, and pop those sprinkled sugar bombs whole like a sad circus pelican. “Oh, your little boys are going to love them,” she winked at me, handing me the box. I must have looked puzzled because she repeated it. “You must have little boys at home waiting for these.”

What the hell was she talking about? No, I didn’t have any children at home. I was just a grown-ass single man who hadn’t done any therapy.

And so I became a Funfetti guerrilla, vanilla frosting smeared under the eyes, deploying Seal Team Six cover strategies.

I was an OB—Original Binger. Before self-checkout kiosks existed, I tried to “Bury the Order,” e.g., buy enough regular but non-perishable groceries like boxes of pasta, dish soap, canned beans, and then strategically mix in all of the real items I required: potato chips, chocolate doughnuts, Pop-Tarts, Cool Ranch Dorito’s, etc.

And yes, I more than once invoked the nuclear cover option. After watching The Big Lebowski, I donned a bathrobe and slippers. Then I shuffled through the sliding doors very un-Dude like. No sunglasses or confident chit-chat. I was a Keebler chameleon. A conveyor belt full of my favorite junk foods and nothing else. Not a single can of concealer beans. My slacked jaw and empty gaze to nowhere, the long trench-coat style fleece bathrobe . . . even the fuzzy slippers. No one looked at me. I felt invisible at last, like I could rob a bank. I mean, in a bathrobe and slippers, so the getaway might be tricky.

Eventually, I survived my processed food addiction through the William Blake method: “You never know what is enough, unless you know what is more than enough.”

If you see me grocery shopping in a tattered bathrobe—it’s okay. I heard Oreo’s is coming out with a new salted caramel ecstasy flavor. After all, progress not perfection.FacebookTwitter

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Justin Kolber, a practicing lawyer in Vermont, is a recovered ripped dude, an athlete, activist, and author of Ripped, the first memoir about the dual extremes of muscle and food disorders. Read other articles by Justin.

Study in veterans suggests area of brain injury key to PTSD

By Dennis Thompson, HealthDay News

Sept. 26, 2024 


Brain damage that veterans suffered from flying shrapnel has provided a major clue that could lead to better treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), a new study says. Photo by Adobe Stock/HealthDay News

Brain damage that veterans suffered from flying shrapnel has provided a major clue that could lead to better treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), a new study says.

Veterans who suffered shrapnel damage connected to their amygdala, the fear center of the brain, were less likely to develop PTSD, researchers reported Tuesday in the journal Nature Neuroscience.

The results suggest that PTSD could be treated by using electrical pulses to disrupt brain networks linked to the amygdala, they added.

"This is a very real brain disease, and we can localize it to certain brain circuits," said corresponding author Dr. Shan Siddiqi, a psychiatrist in the Brigham and Women's Hospital Center for Brain Circuit Therapeutics. "Unfortunately, people sometimes assume PTSD has to do with how mentally strong or weak a person is, but it has nothing to do with moral character."

Related

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FDA rejects MDMA to treat post-traumatic stress disorder

Researchers previously have uncovered brain networks to successfully treat depression and addiction using neurostimulation, and have been trying to locate the network associated with PTSD.

For this study, the research team examined 193 patients from the Vietnam Head Injury Study who'd suffered brain injuries from shrapnel penetrating their skulls.

"Some of these veterans who got shrapnel in their head went on to develop PTSD, but many of them did not," said study co-author Dr. Michael Fox, director of the Center for Brain Circuit Therapeutics. "The patients actually developed PTSD less than other veterans who did not get damage to their brain."

Researchers mapped where the shrapnel brain damage had occurred in the brains of these veterans, and compared the data to 180 veterans who didn't have brain damage.

The comparison found less PTSD in veterans who had shrapnel-caused lesions in the brain network tied to the amygdala.

The team also reviewed data from previous clinical trials involving neurostimulation, to see if the circuit they'd highlighted had already been targeted in some patients.

"The trials where stimulation was hitting the circuit we identified tended to be the trials that had good outcomes in patients," Fox said.

During the study, a patient in California with severe PTSD requested treatment with transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), in which a brain implant uses a magnetic field to generate electrical pulses in specific parts of the brain.

Doctors used TMS to target the brain circuit identified by the study of veterans, and the man's PTSD improved, researchers report.

While it's only one patient, the case shows how this brain circuit could be used to treat PTSD, Fox said.

However, there will need to be clinical trials in a larger group of patients before this therapy can be approved by the U.S. Food and Dug Administration, researchers said.

"While more work remains to be done, we've taken an important step here to identify a therapeutic target for a condition in patients who desperately need better treatments," Fox said.

More information

The Cleveland Clinic has more on transcranial magnetic stimulation.

Copyright © 2024 HealthDay. All rights reserved.

 

Study shows psychedelic drug psilocybin gives comparable long-term antidepressant effects to standard antidepressants, but may offer additional benefits

Psilocybin as good as SSRI for depression, but doesn’t lower sex drive, gives better sense of well-being and psychosocial functioning

European College of Neuropsychopharmacology

A direct comparison between the experimental psychedelic drug psilocybin and a standard SSRI antidepressant shows similar improvement of depressive symptoms, but that psilocybin offers additional longer-term benefits.

The comparison, between psilocybin (the active ingredient in “magic mushrooms”) and the SSRI escitalopram gave similar long-term improvements in depressive symptoms over a 6-month period, however patients taking psilocybin also reported better psychosocial functioning including experiencing a greater sense of meaning in life and psychological connectedness.

The work is presented for the first time at the ECNP Congress in Milan. A related paper will appear in the peer-reviewed journal Lancet eClinicalMedicine1 to coincide with the conference presentation (see details below). Lead researcher Mr Tommaso Barba (PhD candidate from Imperial College, London) said:

“This is the first work to compare the long-term effects of these two drugs in the context of overall well-being, not just freedom from depression.  In previous work we had found that both treatments led to comparable improvements in alleviating symptoms of depression at the 6-week mark, such as sadness and negative emotions.  However, this work shows that psilocybin outperformed escitalopram in several measures of well-being, meaning in life, work and social functioning. These results appeared to be maintained over a 6-month follow-up period. In addition, in previous work* we had found that psilocybin also improves sexual drive, in contrast to SSRIs which tend to lower libido in many patients. So overall it seems psilocybin might give additional positive mental health benefits.”  

SSRI drugs (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors), such as Prozac, Paxil and Zoloft, are one of the main types of drugs used to treat depression. However, around a third of patients don’t respond to SSRI treatment, so for them psilocybin may offer an alternative, although this was not studied in this trial.

Tommaso Barba continued:

“SSRIs work well, but not for everyone. They are also associated with some side effects. However this work implies that psilocybin generally seems to offer a real alternative, and perhaps additional benefits, to people who are worried about taking conventional antidepressants”.

The researchers, from Imperial College in London, undertook a 6-month study (phase 2, double-blind, randomised controlled trial) with 59 patients with moderate to severe depression. 30 were treated with a single dose of psilocybin, 29 patients were given a six-week course of escitalopram. Each group received similar psychological support of around 20 hours in total. Both groups showed significant improvement in depressive symptoms, even up to 6 months after treatment (the researchers stopped monitoring at 6 months). However those given psilocybin reported greater improvements in social functioning and psychological connectedness, with large effect sizes.

Co-first author Dr David Erritzoe, Clinical Director and Deputy Head of the Centre for Psychedelic Research, Imperial College, London, commented:

“This is important because improving connectedness and having greater meaning in life can significantly enhance a person's quality of life and long-term mental health. The study suggests that psilocybin therapy might be a more holistic treatment option for depression, addressing both the symptoms of depression and overall well-being. This could make a substantial difference in the overall happiness and daily activities of those suffering from depression, providing a more joined-up approach to mental health treatment”.

The researchers note that the patients were only treated for 6 weeks, and that many of the patients received additional treatments over the 6-month follow up.

Dr Erritzoe cautioned:

“Psilocybin is still an experimental drug; it has not yet been approved for general use. It is administered in highly controlled and protected environments: these precautions are not found in recreational psychedelic use, which is known for having unpredictable and potentially harmful effects, especially for vulnerable people struggling with mental health issues”. 

Commenting, Johan Lundberg (Adjunct Professor of Psychiatry at the

Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm) said:

“This report is an important attempt to compare the clinical value of psilocybin compared to a state-of-the-art treatment of major depressive disorder. The results come with several caveats, including the lack of a non-inferiority analysis and failure to report other interventions given during the follow-up period. That said, as a hypothesis generating piece it may benefit the field substantially.  For now, we don’t know if psilocybin will be approved for the treatment of major depression, but if so, it won’t be for everyone. Some future patients might prefer psychedelic treatment over SSRI, but some patients may be intimidated by the dramatic alterations in perception and confrontations with challenging emotions that psychedelic drugs promote”.

This is an independent comment, Professor Lundberg was not involved in this work.

Notes:

1. Publication details: Effect of psilocybin versus escitalopram on depression symptom severity in patients with moderate-to-severe major depressive disorder: observational 6-month follow-up of a phase 2, double-blind, randomised, controlled trial. In press at Lancet eClinicalMedicine. Authors: David Erritzoe, Tommaso Barba, Kyle T. Greenway, Roberta Murphy, Jonny Martell, Bruna Giribaldi, Christopher Timmermann, Ashleigh Murphy-Beiner, Michelle Baker Jones, David Nutt, Brandon Weiss, and Robin Carhart-Harris. Paper reference 10.1016/j.eclinm.2024.102799
2. See Psychedelic experiences linked with improved sexual function | Imperial News | Imperial College London

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Method of Research

Randomized controlled/clinical trial

Mount Sinai expands Psychedelic Research Center with new facility in upper Manhattan

The Mount Sinai Hospital / Mount Sinai School of Medicine

 

image: 

From left to right:

Dr. Amy Lehrner, Dr. Rachel Yehuda, Renee Parsons, Bob Parsons, Dr. Eric Nestler, Dr. Rene Kahn. 

view more 

Credit: Mount Sinai Health System

Mount Sinai Health System this week celebrated the opening of an expansion of its psychedelic psychotherapy research center into a new location and announced a foundational $5 million gift from The Bob & Renee Parsons Foundation. The center has been renamed The Parsons Research Center for Psychedelic Healing.

The new location is designed to support the Center's capacity to facilitate a growing number of rigorous clinical trials that focus on well-known compounds like MDMA, psilocybin, ketamine, and potentially others in the future. These chemical compounds have garnered significant attention in academic medicine for their potential to alleviate symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, anxiety, and other stress-related conditions.

The Foundation’s gift, which comes at a pivotal time for the field, will expand the Center's capacity for therapy, research, and therapist training, including a primary focus on veterans.

Located at 600 West 112th Street, on the southwest corner of Broadway, the new space will house six treatment rooms and a group therapy room, with features to enable therapy supervision, teaching, and research. Large floor-to-ceiling windows provide natural light and a view of the surrounding tree-lined streets.

“Since its initial launch in 2021, our psychedelic psychotherapy research center has made progress towards our understanding of the therapeutic potential for psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy,” said Rachel Yehuda, PhD, Director of The Parsons Research Center for Psychedelic Healing. “The recent decision by the Food and Drug Administration to withhold approval for MDMA-assisted therapy has cast some uncertainty as to how and when psychedelic therapy will be broadly available, but has also made clear that there is a critical need to advance rigorous psychedelic research. Our team remains steadfast in our commitment to this work and to ensure the incredible momentum that has been generated by academic researchers does not falter.”  

Dr. Yehuda went on to say, “This is an existential moment for the field of psychedelic research in mental health, and rather than backing away from investment, as some are doing, The Bob & Renee Parsons Foundation is shining a light on what has become a darker path forward. Thanks to their vision and commitment and the continued generosity of our donors, we will meet the needs of the moment.” 

“My own battle with PTSD lasted for decades after I returned from the Vietnam War.  It was psychedelic-assisted therapy that finally brought me home after all those years,” said Bob Parsons, United States Marine Corps Vietnam war veteran and co-founder of The Bob & Renee Parsons Foundation. “Despite the FDA’s recent decision on MDMA, we’re digging in and funding more research because I have all the evidence I need—I know it works.”

The expansion of the Center reflects Mount Sinai’s commitment to providing institutional resources, strong scientific vision, and the established track record necessary to push forward with groundbreaking clinical trials. The gift from The Bob & Renee Parsons Foundation reflects an understanding by the Foundation that the moment demands serious and careful research and a deep commitment to uncovering effective treatments for veterans, who disproportionately experience conditions like PTSD that have been resistant to conventional therapies.

“The space was designed to embrace the importance of setting in therapeutic outcomes. From the moment our patients enter the beautifully designed Center, they will feel that they are in a place of safety and healing, which is paramount to maximizing the impact of the therapy sessions,” said Amy Lehrner, PhD, Clinical Director of The Parsons Research Center for Psychedelic Healing. “The views of nature, natural light, and complementary design will communicate serenity and warmth, setting a new standard for applying this nascent science. While solutions for traumatized people have been few and far between until now, with the advances we have made through this new space and the highly trained practitioners within, we now see renewed hope and healing.”

The Center is currently developing protocols for several studies, including pivotal group therapy studies, which required the creation of a large group space. The Center's expanded capacity allows for multiple simultaneous dosing sessions and group integration sessions, essential for advancing this critical work.

Mount Sinai investigators affiliated with the Center will also be conducting research on ketamine-assisted psychotherapy and psilocybin for patients with major depression and for the treatment of intergenerational trauma, as well as MDMA-assisted therapy for patients with eating disorders. Almost all trials will examine the mechanism of action of psychedelics using the latest developments in neuroimaging, molecular neuroscience, and natural language processing. These initiatives underscore the Center's role as a leader in developing innovative and effective treatments for mental health conditions. The Center also plans to continue to expand its focus on training and education of mental health clinicians in the use of psychedelic-assisted therapies.  The Center has provided training and education free of charge to 250 clinicians thanks to a prior $5 million gift from The Bob & Renee Parsons Foundation in 2021.

“We are hopeful that the cutting-edge research and training being done at Mount Sinai will go on to transform the lives of veterans, and others, suffering from debilitating mental health conditions,” said Renee Parsons, co-founder of The Bob & Renee Parsons Foundation. “Bob and I know firsthand the detrimental impacts of PTSD—not only on the individual but their entire family. We remain committed to battling the stigma surrounding mental health and shining a light on promising treatments like psychedelic-assisted therapy.”

“New treatment options are desperately needed for the millions of people, both civilians and veterans, who suffer from mood and anxiety disorders like PTSD and major depression,” said Dennis S. Charney, the Anne and Joel Ehrenkranz Dean of Icahn Mount Sinai and President for Academic Affairs for the Mount Sinai Health System. “Mount Sinai researchers lead on the frontier of biomedicine, applying scientific rigor while also challenging clinical and scientific dogma to emerge as true innovators. Under Dr. Yehuda’s leadership and through the unwavering support of The Bob & Renee Parsons Foundation, this new space enables us to propel our efforts with the speed, safety, and quality that will have a meaningful impact on the field of psychedelic psychotherapy and the patients we serve.”

About the Mount Sinai Health System
Mount Sinai Health System is one of the largest academic medical systems in the New York metro area, with 48,000 employees working across eight hospitals, more than 400 outpatient practices, more than 600 research and clinical labs, a school of nursing, and a leading school of medicine and graduate education. Mount Sinai advances health for all people, everywhere, by taking on the most complex health care challenges of our time—discovering and applying new scientific learning and knowledge; developing safer, more effective treatments; educating the next generation of medical leaders and innovators; and supporting local communities by delivering high-quality care to all who need it.

Through the integration of its hospitals, labs, and schools, Mount Sinai offers comprehensive health care solutions from birth through geriatrics, leveraging innovative approaches such as artificial intelligence and informatics while keeping patients’ medical and emotional needs at the center of all treatment. The Health System includes approximately 9,000 primary and specialty care physicians and 11 free-standing joint-venture centers throughout the five boroughs of New York City, Westchester, Long Island, and Florida. Hospitals within the System are consistently ranked by Newsweek’s® “The World’s Best Smart Hospitals, Best in State Hospitals, World Best Hospitals and Best Specialty Hospitals” and by U.S. News & World Report's® “Best Hospitals” and “Best Children’s Hospitals.” The Mount Sinai Hospital is on the U.S. News & World Report® “Best Hospitals” Honor Roll for 2024-2025. For more information, visit https://www.mountsinai.org or find Mount Sinai on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.

About The Bob & Renee Parsons Foundation
The Bob & Renee Parsons Foundation offers support to nonprofit organizations successfully working to empower, educate, nurture and nourish people during what is often the darkest time of their lives. Founded in 2012 by philanthropists and business leaders Bob and Renee Parsons to provide hope and life-changing assistance to the country’s most vulnerable populations, The Bob & Renee Parsons Foundation offers critical funding at critical times to those in need. The Foundation’s giving is driven by the core belief that all people – regardless of race, religion, roots, economic status, sexual orientation or gender identity – deserve access to quality healthcare, education and a safe place to call home. Follow @WeDealInHope on social media or visit TBRPF.org, to learn more about partner organizations and the important work being done in the community.

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Entrance to The Parsons Research Center for Psychedelic Healing at Mount Sinai

Psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy treatment room within The Parsons Researh Center for Psychedelic Healing at Mount Sinai 

Waiting Area within The Parsons Research Center for Psychedelic Healing at Mount Sinai

Interior of The Parsons Research Center for Psychedlic Healing at Mount Sinai

Credit

Mount Sinai Health System

GHOST

Australian man allegedly behind secret messaging app used by gangs to plot murders, plan kidnappings, traffic drugs arrested

Federal police have unmasked the alleged Australian mastermind behind a secret app used by gangs to plot murders, plan kidnappings and traffic drugs, as authorities dismantle a major criminal syndicate.

Isabella Rayner

Lifestyle Reporter

SKY NEWS
September 18, 2024 -

An Australian man who allegedly created an encrypted messaging app specially designed for criminal underworld gangs to plot murders, plan kidnappings and traffic drugs has been arrested by Australian Federal Police.

Jay Je Yoon Jung, 32, was charged with allegedly creating and administering the app, called "Ghost," in the early hours of Tuesday morning after he was taken into custody at his parents’ home in the southern Sydney suburb of Narwee.

Commander Paula Hudson said Jung’s app has for nine years been used by outlaw motorcycle gangs the Hells Angels, Mongols, Comancheros, and Finks, as well as Middle Eastern, Italian and Korean organised crime groups.

Commander Hudson told the ABC the groups had made use of the app for a string of harmful activities, including "serious organised crime, drug trafficking, drug importation, tobacco trafficking, firearms trafficking, money laundering, threatening to murder, threatening to harm, stand-over tactics, and criminals seeking to do damage to people."

Australian Federal Police arrest Jay Je Yoon Jung. Picture: AFP

Speaking to ABC’s 7:30 program, a witness to the 32-year-old's arrest claimed AFP officers had used stun grenades, a non-lethal explosive device temporarily disorients a person’s senses, while carrying out their raid.

The witness, a neighbour of Jung's parents, said law enforcement “took a panel out of the fence” and simultaneously entered the Sydney property through the front and rear entrances.

The Narwee man, whose parents are not accused of wrongdoing, is expected to appear in Downing Centre Local Court on Wednesday morning.

He faces charges of supporting a criminal organisation, benefiting from proceeds of crime and dealing in identification information.

The AFP will allege he collected hundreds of thousands of dollars from his alleged crimes and is the first Australian-based person accused of creating an app like Ghost.

The 32-year-old was arrested in the early hours of Tuesday morning at his parents’ home in the southern Sydney suburb of Narwee. Picture: AFP


Authorities said the French Gendarmerie traced the location of the app creator to Australia about seven years ago, before becoming aware the administrator was Australian in 2021.

In 2022, Operation Kraken, in conjunction with Europol's Operation Taskforce (OTF) NEXT, was established to target the app’s operations.

The joint operation found Ghost was active on 600 devices mostly in Australia, but also in Sweden, Ireland, Canada, and Italy.

AFP Covert and Technical team head Commander Rob Nelson told 7:30 a technical group within the organisation, known affectionately as the "uber nerds," were responsible for a big breakthrough in cracking down on the app.

Commander Nelson said Jung allegedly handed the group its win by regularly pushing updates to devices with the app installed.

Officers within the "uber nerds" were able to successfully modify the software updates, allowing them to access content on devices in Australia, in what was a world-first process which could not be replicated in other countries.

Authorities allege the app had been used by outlaw motorcycle gangs the Hells Angels, Mongols, Comancheros, and Finks, as well as Middle Eastern, Italian and Korean organised crime groups. Picture: AFP

"Now we have to put what we've done before court and demonstrate to them the method which we've employed and give them confidence that was lawful," Commander Nelson said.

Officers also arrested and charged six men with a combined 43 offences on Tuesday.

The men were allegedly part of a now dismantled criminal syndicate which used Ghost to organise drug importations and manufacture a false terrorism plot to corrupt justice.

One of the six, a 31-year-old North Rocks man, allegedly conspired to use high-powered weapons and explosive devices to carry out the terrorist plot between March and April 2024.

Authorities allege he used the app to send messages about accessing machine guns, bombs, hand grenades, rocket launchers, and flags with terrorist symbols, as well as about importing trafficable amounts of cocaine in shipping containers.

Australian Border Force agents seized the drugs in April.

The syndicate was also allegedly involved in trafficking methamphetamine, cannabis and MDMA with the aid of “runners”.

The “runner” allegedly transported illicit drugs from Sydney to Inverell in northern New South Wales, before then transporting cash from the drug sale to other locations.

About 38 people have been arrested since Operation Kraken was launched, with 205kg of illicit drugs, 25 weapons and $1.2 million of cash seized by authorities.

AFP Operation Kraken charges alleged head of global organised crime app;  Ghost


Editor's note: Images and vision available via Hightail

An alleged mastermind behind a secret app for criminals and violent enforcers has been charged by the AFP during a global takedown of an encrypted communications network.

AFP Operation Kraken charged a NSW man, aged 32, for creating and administering Ghost, a dedicated encrypted communication platform, which the AFP alleges was built solely for the criminal underworld.

About 700 AFP members executed search warrants and provided support during two days of action across four Australian states and territories on September 17-18.

Near-simultaneous police action is being undertaken in Ireland, Italy, Sweden and Canada.

Up to 50 alleged Australian offenders accused of using Ghost are facing serious charges, including significant prison sentences.

More Australian and international arrests are expected over the coming days.

It will be alleged the Australian offenders who used Ghost were trafficking illicit drugs, money laundering, ordering killings or threatening serious violence. In Australia, the AFP prevented about 50 threats to kill/harm.

Operation Kraken is law enforcement’s next take down of a dedicated encrypted communications platform. Law enforcement has again infiltrated a criminal platform and outsmarted organised crime. EncroChat, Sky Global, Phantom Secure, AN0M and now Ghost – all platforms used by transnational serious organised crime – have been dismantled over the past decade.

However, it is the first time an Australian-based person is accused of being an alleged mastermind and administrator of a global criminal platform, of which the AFP was able to decrypt and read messages.

The AFP charged the alleged administrator at his Narwee home yesterday (17 September).

He will appear in Downing Centre Local Court today (18 September) to face five charges:One count of supporting a criminal organisation contrary to section 390.4(1) of the Criminal Code 1995 (Cth), which carries a maximum penalty of three years’ imprisonment;
One count of dealing with the suspected proceeds of an indictable offence less than $100,000 contrary to section 400.9(1) of the Criminal Code 1995 (Cth), which carries a maximum penalty of three years’ imprisonment;
One count of dealing in identifying information and using it to commit fraud contrary to section 372.1(1) of the Criminal Code 1995 (Cth), which carries a maximum penalty of five years’ imprisonment;
One count of obtaining identification information using a carriage service with intent contrary to section 372.1a(3) of the Criminal Code 1995 (Cth), which carries a maximum penalty of five years’ imprisonment; and
One count of contravening a requirement in a section 3LA order contrary to section 3LA (6) of the Crimes Act 1914, which carries a maximum penalty of 10 years’ imprisonment.

The AFP-led Criminal Assets Confiscation Taskforce successfully obtained Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 (Cth) Restraining Orders over the suspected criminal assets. Property restrained includes various cryptocurrencies and bank accounts.

It will be alleged the administrator used a network of resellers to offer specialised handsets to criminals across the globe.

The handsets, which were a modified smart phone, were sold for about $2350, which included a six-month subscription to an encrypted network and tech support.

As of September 17, the AFP will allege there were 376 active handsets in Australia.

Ghost was created about nine years ago, however, the opportunity for law enforcement to target the platform arose in 2022.

In 2022, international partners started targeting Ghost and asked the AFP to join an operational taskforce.

Europol established a global taskforce code named OTF NEXT, which was led by the FBI and French Gendarmerie, and includes the AFP, Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), Swedish Police Authority, Dutch National Police, Irish Garda Síochána and the Italian Central Directorate for Anti-Drug Service. The Icelandic Police have also assisted the OTF.

While the AFP worked within the taskforce, it also established Operation Kraken after developing a covert solution to infiltrate Ghost.

The administrator regularly pushed out software updates, just like the ones needed for normal mobile phones.

But the AFP was able to modify those updates, which basically infected the devices, enabling the AFP to access the content on devices in Australia.

Most of the alleged offenders who used Ghost are in NSW, however Ghost users are also in Victoria, Western Australia, South Australia and the ACT.

Results from Operation Kraken include:38 arrests;
71 search warrants conducted;
Intervening in 50 threats to life/threats to harm;
Preventing more than 200kg of illicit drugs from harming the Australian community; and
Seizing 25 illicit firearms/weapons.

AFP Deputy Commissioner McCartney said Operation Kraken once again showcased the skill, dedication and capability of the AFP.

“In 2021, AFP Commissioner Reece Kershaw revealed the details of Operation Ironside,’’ Deputy Commissioner McCartney said.

“The lives of many serious criminals dramatically changed when they realised their phone – and those who vouched for it – had betrayed them.

“The Commissioner warned organised crime that the AFP would come for them again – and at scale.

“That time is now.

“Over the past two days, about 700 AFP members have executed and assisted in search warrants across four states to arrest those who have used a dedicated encrypted communications platform named Ghost.

“We allege hundreds of criminals, including Italian Organised Crime, outlaw motorcycle gang members, Middle Eastern Organised Crime and Korean Organised Crime have used Ghost in Australia and overseas to import illicit drugs and order killings.

“I want to acknowledge all the AFP members who have been involved in this operation - from investigators, intelligence members, tech experts and all other support capabilities.

“Taking down dedicated encrypted communication devices takes significant skill.

“But the holy grail is always penetrating criminal platforms to access evidence – and this is where the AFP is world leading.

“And because we could read these messages, the AFP, with state partners, were able to prevent the death or serious injury of 50 individuals in Australia.

“As Ghost haunts criminals who used the platform, the AFP will be ever present to disrupt and target organised crime in Australia and offshore.”

Europol Executive Director Catherine De Bolle said: “Today we have made it clear that no matter how hidden criminal networks think they are, they can’t evade our collective effort”.

“Law enforcement from nine countries, together with Europol, have dismantled a tool which was a lifeline for serious organised crime,” Ms De Bolle said.

“This operation is what Europol is all about: turning collaboration into concrete results by bringing together the right people, tools and expertise to address every aspect of this complex operation. “The work carried out is part of our ongoing commitment to tackling organised crime wherever it operates. I want to extend my gratitude to all our global partners who played a vital role in making this operation a success.”

The head of the France’s Home Affairs Ministry National Cyber Command Technical Department Colonel Florian Manet said the command provided technical resources to the taskforce notably in terms of encryption and decryption.

“A technical solution was implemented over several years which, at term, enabled the task force to access the communications of users on this secure platform,” Colonel Manet said.

Royal Canadian Mounted Police Superintendent Marie Eve Lavallée said the RCMP worked actively and tirelessly to curb international drug trafficking.

“By collaborating with authorities in various countries, including Australia, we are implementing robust strategies to counter the criminal networks that threaten our society,” Superintendent Lavallée said.

“The RCMP is pleased to have contributed to the disruption of several criminal operations that put communities at risk. The results announced today demonstrate the effectiveness of the collaboration between our two countries.”

Swedish Police Authority, Head of Operations National Operations Department, Superintendent Ted Esplund said: “The importance of international police cooperation should not be underestimated”.

“Criminal networks act globally and it is absolutely essential that law enforcement agencies act in the same way in order to be successful in the fight against organised crime,” Superintendent Esplund said.

“This operation is one of many examples of how we can join forces to have an impact on organised crime.”

New South Wales Police Force Assistant Commissioner Mick Fitzgerald said: “Large scale multi-agency operations like Operation Kraken continue to enhance the relationship and skills of both State and Federal law enforcement agencies.”

“The NSW Police Force’s State Crime Command is dedicated to working with the Australian Federal Police and Commonwealth partners to disrupt and dismantle organised crime networks operating in this country, Assistant Commissioner Fitzgerald said.

“The results of Operation Kraken today have shown just how effective that cooperation is and I’m incredibly proud of all the work and effort investigators have put into this operation.”

Victoria Police Crime Command Acting Assistant Commissioner Paul O’Halloran said: “This was a complex investigation involving significant resources from across Victoria Police’s Crime Command, led by our detectives within the Victorian Joint Organised Crime Task Force, and today’s outcome is testament to the collaboration between state and federal law enforcement.”

“These are people with significant involvement in organised crime, who embedded themselves in our community with the sole aim of committing offences that would wreak immense harm to many innocent people,” Acting Assistant Commissioner O’Halloran said.

“They are people who only care about profit and are all too willing to put the lives of others at risk to get it.

“As organised crime evolves, so does law enforcement. Victoria Police will continue to work closely with our partner agencies in order to take advantage of any opportunity to disrupt these syndicates and ensure every last offender is held to account.”

Western Australia Police Assistant Commissioner State Crime Tony Longhorn said encrypted platforms were constantly being used by organised crime syndicates who were dealing in illicit drugs, targeting Western Australia and threatening our way of life.

“They are using these encrypted platforms to distribute drugs and guns in our community and to launder their illicit profits,” Assistant Commissioner Longhorn said.

“Criminals use these encrypted platforms under the mistaken belief that they can remain anonymous. These arrests send a clear message: nobody can remain anonymous forever, and through the collective capabilities of Australian Law Enforcement no one is out of our reach.

“Law enforcement is continually adapting to criminal behaviour. In Western Australia, like other states, we will continue to monitor trends and adapt our policing approach to directly counter the methods being used by organised crime.

“This is great example of what can be achieved through cooperation and collaboration between international, national and state law enforcement agencies.”

Europol will host a press conference at 7pm AEST to outline the global operation to dismantle the Ghost network.
Case studiesOperation Kraken Rishi – Alleged criminal syndicate disrupted in Melbourne, exposed in takedown of Ghost platform
Criminal syndicate dismantled as part of AFP takedown of encrypted organised crime network
Six arrested following investigation into criminal syndicate accused of manufacturing false terrorism plot
NSW-based drug organised crime syndicate dismantled, four men arrested
Op Kraken-Ryloth: Victorian duo charged over alleged plans for illicit tobacco import
Operation Kraken: AFP restrains almost $2 million in assets in WA investigation
Operation Kraken: AFP charges WA man for allegedly refusing to provide access to an electronic device
Operation Kraken-Veron: South Australian man charged for alleged role in criminal syndicate