Psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy: The Australian and general practice perspective

Since Australia's Therapeutic Goods Administration down-scheduled two psychedelic medicines from July 2023, psychotherapeutic treatment using these medicines has become available in the private sector, making it possible for general practitioners (GPs) to refer their patients with treatment-resistant depression or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Several other psychedelic medicines are also legally in use as off-label or unapproved medicines.

The aim of this article is to help GPs make sense of this new type of treatment by discussing the Australian context, with focus on what a GP can expect for their patient and the GP's potential role.

Psychedelic medication, when used to facilitate a psychotherapy process, can provide a very different and powerful way to allow patients to access emotions, thoughts, beliefs and traumatic memories that may otherwise remain subconscious or hard to access. This treatment is currently available privately in Australia for patients with treatment-resistant PTSD and depression. Meta-analyses of clinical trial results to date have shown some substantial effect sizes. Such trials continue to clarify and expand indications, efficacy and safety, as not everyone is suited to, safe for or will respond to psychedelic treatment.