Why Companies Are Betting Big On Psychedelic Drugs To Treat Mental Health Epidemic
- Financialnewsmedia.com News Commentary
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PALM BEACH, Fla., April 28, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Psychedelic medicine is having a moment. Once dismissed as a "party drug" for its hallucinogenic effects, ketamine is emerging as a novel alternative treatment for depression. For most, psychedelic drugs conjure up images of the 1960's, hippies tripping out on LSD or magic mushrooms. However, early studies are finding that psilocybin – the active agent in magic mushrooms – could treat addiction, depression, anxiety and mental health conditions like post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Similarly, cancer patients with painful anxiety over their illness have found more peaceful acceptance after participating in a study that involved intensive therapy and being given a drug that was once a symbol of the 60's counterculture. Last year, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved esketamine to treat depression, making it the first-ever psychedelic drug to receive the regulatory green light in the US, with UK authorities also giving their approval for the ketamine-like drug a few months later. Active companies in the markets this week include: