The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs launched a podcast about the future of veterans’ health care last week. Its first episode focuses on psychedelics and their healing potential.
Episode one of New Horizons in Health, hosted by VA Under Secretary of Health Shereef Elnahal featured two other VA doctors: Ilse Weichers and Joshua Woolley. Woolley is described by the VA as “one of its leading researchers on psilocybin assisted therapies in San Francisco.” Jonathan Lubecky was also present, a Marine and Army vet who took part in a MDMA research study nine years ago to treat his PTSD and suicidal thoughts after returning from a deployment in Iraq
The conversation was optimistic, but cautious. Elnahal said at one point that VA would be better suited to scale psychedelic therapy than any other healthcare system, because it is focused on veterans.
The Biden appointed under secretary acknowledged that September is Suicide Prevention Month and reminded viewers that veterans, as well as those who love them in crisis, can call 988 by pressing 1 to reach the Veterans Crisis Line.
Lubecky was introduced, who had returned to his home in November 2006. Within two months of returning, he made the first attempt at suicide.
“In November 2013, after my last suicide attempt, VA asked me, ‘Hey what can we do for You? What can we change? ‘” Lubecky recalled. “I said that I needed weekly counseling each and every week.”
He said that for a time, things went well. One week, he was unable to meet with his psychiatrist due to another problem at the hospital. Lubecky, who was taking “about 42 pills per day for different things” at the time, went to the pharmacy to get his prescriptions filled when the psychiatrist could not meet with him. He sat with an intern while he was waiting.
The veteran stated that it was “one of the best decisions” he had ever made. “Because the intern from the Medical University of South Carolina knew about the [psychedelics] studies being conducted in Charleston, and she slid the piece of paper on the desk, telling him to not open it until after he left the VA. I’m not sure if I should tell you about it. ‘”
I opened it and it said, “Google MDMA PTSD. ‘”
Lubecky stated that “I took my MDMA first dose on November 22, 2014. This was exactly eight years after returning from Iraq.” It’s been 9 years, and I haven’t had PTSD for longer than the nine years I was diagnosed.
Woolley, a VA researcher from San Francisco, stated that there had been “pivotal trials” into MDMA and psilocybin assisted psychotherapy. “Those have shown very promising results in PTSD and depression.” He added, “PTSD symptoms could go away for many months or years after a few treatments.” There’s a great deal of excitement surrounding this.
Weichers, the executive director of VA Office of Mental Health and Suicide Prevention emphasized the importance of therapy as part of psychedelic assisted therapy.
She said that the psychotherapy is a crucial part of her treatment. “I think the psychotherapy is the cornerstone. So, it’s really important to combine the medication with the psychotherapy to achieve great success.”
The conversation between four participants was largely focused on finding a balance between psychedelics’ therapeutic potential and the dangers associated with self-medication.
Elnahal said, “You need to be treated by a licensed professional in order to receive the full range of therapeutic benefits we see in the research Dr. Woolley mentioned.”
Lubecky, at the request of the undersecretary, detailed the treatment protocol: 12 sessions, from 90-minute sessions of talk therapy without MDMA, to 8-hour sessions while under the effects. The regimen included three sessions of MDMA.
He said, “I will be clear. I have taken MDMA 3 times in my lifetime–nine year ago as part the trial.” “I haven’t taken it in a long time and I don’t feel the need to.”
He compared the experience with his recent back surgery. In this case, the anesthesia knocked out the patient “so that the surgeon could go in and actually do the work.”
He continued: “Psychedelic-assisted therapies are tools that open up the mind and body to the places it can be, so you can heal and work through all those memories, all the traumas, and other things that cause you problems.” People with PTSD have trust issues, and they don’t like to talk about them. The people with PTSD either shut down and cannot process, or become hyper-emotional. The MDMA allows you to stay in the middle, where you are able to talk about trauma, without panic attacks or your body betraying, and see it from a new perspective.
Lubecky tried cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), exposure therapy, and “a lot” of talk therapy before, he said. But the 50-minute sessions seemed to be more about managing symptoms – “What happened this week?” What can we to do make sure that he is here next week ?”–and not about rooting out the trauma.
He recalled that before he felt comfortable to talk about trauma, he would hear the magic words, “Well, we’re out of time for this week.” Then we’ll discuss it next week.
He acknowledged that the therapy does not work for everyone. In the study in which he took part, “88% of participants reported a reduction in symptoms.” He noted that 67 percent of people no longer suffered from PTSD. He noted that 67 percent no longer had PTSD.
He concluded that “me going through therapy and trial nine year ago is the only reason my son has a dad instead of a fold flag.” If you don’t allow others to do research and find an answer to this, you are essentially shaming more sons, daughters, and spouses into receiving a folded-up flag.
Weichers, as well Woolley, both noted that clinical trial participants are usually screened for comorbidities. This includes, for instance, cardiac function and blood pressure. The substances are known to be pure and strong, and there is a lot of monitoring.
Woolley explained that both psilocybin (as well as MDMA) can cause blood pressure to rise and other side effects. “A lot of work is done in order to ensure this person’s safety when taking the drug, at the dosages required for the intervention.”
He said that further research is needed to compare, for instance, psychotherapy with psychedelics-assisted treatments. “There are still a lot of questions to be answered.” “We’re only at the beginning.”
Weichers said that clinical studies “can guarantee that a high quality, pharmaceutical grade medication is delivered.” You can’t do that when you buy something off the street or use it recreationally. You don’t even know what the pill is. “I hope that this risk will make people pause.”
She also referred to recent Phase 3 results of a study on MDMA-assisted treatment for PTSD. This could lead the Food and Drug Administration to consider the drug next year. It could also result in rescheduling the substance. She said that it usually takes weeks or months for the workgroup process of a study to be completed. But, she added, “we’re anticipating that things like this could happen very soon, given some of the information that is coming out.”
Lubecky, who participated in Marijuana Moment’s podcast afterward, said that he understood the methodical approach taken by VA officials. He also expressed gratitude for the publicity the episode has given to his cause.
He said, “It is huge that they produced the podcast and specifically had the undersecretary.” This wasn’t just low-level individuals discussing, “Hey, there’s some cool science out there.” It was about trials at the VA, and other things.
Lubecky stated that he would like to see changes made to the psychedelic assisted therapy. He noted the lack of qualified therapists as a major obstacle. This could be solved by hiring more therapists or training more chaplains. Lubecky said that he understood the difficulty of psychedelic-assisted therapy for people who don’t have approval.
The department wants to lead the way in psychedelic therapy if there is evidence that it can. The department announced that it was releasing a podcast in. “VA is excited by the potential of these therapies and the answers to scientific questions,” the department stated. We want to provide the best and innovative therapies for Veterans in America if the science supports them.
In 2022, , which was hosted by Secretary Elnahal and confirmed by the Senate,. As the New Jersey Health Commissioner from 2018 to 2019 he worked on improving that state’s program for medical marijuana and stated that he personally believes that federal prohibition should end.
During a hearing in April before the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee, Sen. Dan Sullivan, R-AK, brought up Elnahal’s background as a cannabis regulator and expressed his frustration with VA’s constant opposition to legislation he had introduced,, that would have promoted clinical research into marijuana’s therapeutic potential for conditions that affect the veteran population.
The official, who has since been confirmed, spoke of how, while serving as New Jersey’s health commissioner, “he expanded access to the program throughout the state and made it easier to enroll veterans as well.”
Some feel VA is not doing enough to prioritise therapies that use controlled substances. This is despite the fact that some states have legalized medical cannabis and others are moving to legalize some psychedelics. Michigan’s legislators , for instance, recently urged federal politicians to prioritize psychedelics as well as other “non technology treatment options” in order to treat psychological trauma caused by military service.
While individual states are pushing for psychedelic reform, the federal government is making relatively slow progress when it comes to evaluating and approving these substances for therapeutic purposes.
House lawmakers approved a spending measure earlier this year that included amendments aimed at veterans who use marijuana or psychedelics. The first would allow VA doctors the ability to recommend medical cannabis to veterans, while the second would encourage the research of the therapeutic potentials of psychedelics.
Three bipartisan cochairs of the Congressional Cannabis Caucus sent a letter to VA Secretary Denis McDonough in August expressing their “deep concern” about a recent VA directive which continues to prevent its doctors from giving medical cannabis recommendations for veterans who live in states where marijuana is legal.
Rep. Earl Blumenauer, D-OR, one of the letter’s authors, sent a separate email to McDonough and Department of Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin recently slamming both departments for perpetuating “a misguided denial of service” in recommending against medical marijuana use by veterans with PTSD.
VA and DOD have a history of claiming to be acting in the best interests of veterans and service members, only to deny that medical marijuana is a viable treatment for those suffering from PTSD. He referred to the joint clinical practice guidelines released by the departments last July.
A lawyer is suing the federal government for a copy of the Biden Administration’s Marijuana Rescheduling letter
Photo by Pretty Drugthings/Unsplash.
The post First episode of new Federal Veterans Affairs podcast focuses on Psychedelics Healing Potential first appeared on Marijuana Moment.
