PL MEP Alex Agius Saliba wants to help European researchers introduce novel psychedelic therapies to help patients and mental health conditions, a PL statement read.

"Psychedelic novel treatments promise to offer a new therapeutic option for patients, and in the next few years, our citizens might be eligible for a prescription of psychedelic-assisted therapy," MEP Agius Saliba said during a conference in Brussels.

The Conference organised by Agius Saliba, Parea and the European Brain Council, was the first in the European Parliament focused on the use of psychedelics-assisted therapies in treating brain disorders. During the event, leading European researchers discussed the application of psychedelic medicines in various brain disorders and actions that need to be taken at the European level.

"I am encouraged by recent scientific progress on the use of psychedelic compounds in the treatment of mental health conditions, which in conjunction with proper psychosocial support, holds the potential to provide safe, rapid-acting, and robust clinical improvements with long-lasting effects. The European Commission needs to include the area of psychedelic novel therapies in the wider mental health agenda," Agius Saliba said during the conference. 

As the Co-Chair of the MEP Alliance for Mental Health, MEP Agius Saliba has been working actively on Mental Health awareness, calling on the European Commission to prioritise mental health, and develop a comprehensive Mental Health Strategy across Europe.

During the Conference Agius Saliba said that good mental health does not start in treatment rooms or hospitals, but it starts in our workplaces, schools, and communities, noting that everybody has a part to play. He commented that policy and practical solutions will need to be identified and addressed to ensure that mental health problems are better diagnosed, managed, and treated.

In conclusion, Agius Saliba said that psychedelic-assisted therapies could provide more options and treatments for people with mental ill-health. He noted further that various countries have already started the discussion on these therapies, which is why Europe needs an evidence-based assessment of the current state of play in the field of psychedelic science to inform further actions at EU level.