In a bid to help improve mental health care across Europe, the Psychedelic Access and Research European Alliance (PAREA) has launched a manifesto for the 2024 EU elections.
Europe is currently facing a mental health crisis, with an estimated 84 million people in the EU living with a mental health condition. With no innovation in care for mental health conditions in decades, there is a desperate need for new treatments.
With the recent rise of research into psychedelics having shown promising results, indicating these medicines could transform mental healthcare, PAREA launched in 2022 to help advance psychedelic healthcare across Europe.
This has led to a number of developments in Europe over the last year that has seen the EMA announce a workshop in European parliament to discuss psychedelic medicines and the call for a central, psychedelics advisory body to guide regulators and professionals on best practices and standardisation of care.
In light of these developments, non-profit PAREA has now launched its manifesto for the 2024 EU elections, which sets out priorities for the EU as it looks towards the potential rollout of psychedelic therapies in the future.
PAREA writes: “Our manifesto outlines the limitations of current mental health treatments and highlights the untapped potential of psychedelic therapies. It underscores the potential of psychedelic therapies to help individuals confront and understand the underlying issues contributing to their mental health conditions, as opposed to merely managing symptoms.
“Key to our manifesto is the call for an EU multidisciplinary task force. This proposed body can help to establish national guidelines for the responsible use of psychedelic therapies, bringing together healthcare professionals, patient organisations, regulators, psychedelic organizations, and other relevant stakeholders.
“As we approach the EU Parliament elections in 2024, this manifesto serves as an essential guide for anyone committed to advancing mental health care in Europe.”
Priorities for the EU in the manifesto include:
- Including novel mental health approaches in its policy agenda
- To support the development and meaningful regulation of psychedelic therapies
- Recognise the unique combination of psychedelic medicines and therapy, support future aftercare provision, and promote the adoption of sustainable integration models
- To foster collaboration and provide a platform and resources to aid in the development and implementation of effective and sustainable care provision models for psychedelic therapies
- To incentivise the development of psychedelic therapies and ensure their accessibility and affordability when they become approved
- Support healthcare practitioners to make psychedelic therapies part of their practice by providing adequate resources.
- Prioritise and fund basic research on psychedelic therapies under the Horizon Europe programme and other relevant research schemes
The manifesto reads: “In this pivotal moment for mental health care, we must seize the opportunity to explore and embrace innovative solutions like psychedelic therapies. As PAREA, we are committed to fostering dialogue, enhancing research, and supporting policy changes to usher in a new era of mental health treatment in Europe. Together, we can ensure a healthier, more compassionate future for all, and bring tangible benefits to your constituents who are currently underserved by existing mental health care solutions.”
To view the full manifesto, please click here.
