Psychedelics were once the domain of hippies and cults, but these drugs have come long way from the ‘turn on, tune in, drop out’ countercultural philosophy of the 1960s and 70s. Nowadays, the field of psychedelic research is experiencing a resurgence, with substances like psilocybin, MDMA and ketamine being used in controlled laboratories to treat complex mental health issues. Last year, Australia became the first country in the world to permit psychiatrists to use psychedelic medicines to treat certain patients. But are psychedelic assisted therapies a silver bullet cure for mental health disorders, or have the regulations gotten ahead of the evidence?
This event was presented by UNSW Centre for Ideas, UNSW Medicine & Health and UNSW Science as a part of National Science Week on August 17, 2023.
Speakers:
Wayne Hall
Emeritus Professor at the National Centre for Youth Substance Use Research
University of Queensland
Colleen Loo
Clinical psychiatrist and Professor of Psychiatry
University of New South Wales and the Black Dog Institute
Adam Bayes
Clinical academic psychiatrist
University of New South Wales and the Black Dog Institute
Norman Swan (host)
Presenter, ABC Health Report and What's that Rash?