| Alcohol dependence remains a major public health issue. Depression alone affects almost 300 million people worldwide. Alcohol addiction is the second leading cause of avoidable death, with some 49,000 deaths a year in France. 5% of the French population has a severe alcohol use disorder (AUD), with the onset of dependence according to DSM-V and ICD-10 criteria. Against this backdrop, psychedelics have emerged in recent years as an attractive option. Among them, psilocybin, derived from mushrooms, although known for its hallucinogenic effects, has recently received renewed interest. Indeed, several studies have shown that it has promising therapeutic properties for treating major depression and addiction.
Dr Raphaël Serreau was selected to coordinate a session and give a conference at IDDST in Japan, with researchers from the USA, Australia and Germany. My presentation on psychedelics prompted many questions about the mechanisms of action in harm reduction, and what clinical trials were underway to demonstrate the efficacy of psychedelics. To date, there are 134 clinical trials on the subject. The FDA has selected psychedelics as a molecule of major interest in mental health pathologies. |