The drug industry is scrambling to bring psychedelic medicines to the market after Australia became the first country to approve their use, with on company offering free MDMA assisted therapy to first responders. MDMA, commonly known as ecstasy, has previously shown promising signs in clinical trials, however researchers have highlighted the potential risks as the drug begins to roll out more broadly.
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00:00 The jobs that you go to wear down on you slowly until it comes to a point where I all of a
00:08 sudden stop sleeping, became really anxious all the time, really hypervigilant.
00:14 During the day would have flashbacks on jobs that I'd been to years before and never really
00:18 thought about.
00:19 Emma White has post-traumatic stress disorder.
00:23 More than a decade on the front line has taken its toll.
00:26 Therapy and medication have helped, but she says progress has plateaued, prompting her
00:31 to seek alternative treatment.
00:36 Biotech company Emmeria has been expanding its MDMA-assisted therapy services at the
00:42 PACT Centre in Perth.
00:49 What happens in the actual dosing session is that the medicine allows there to be a
00:55 biological window that opens up.
00:59 And it gives the client the ability to actually go to those traumas that they haven't been
01:07 able to before because of some psychological defences.
01:12 A 12-16 week program including three 8-hour long dosing days with two therapists costs
01:19 up to $30,000.
01:22 Reach Wellness, a charity, has pledged to fund the clinical trial for up to 50 first
01:26 responders with the potential for more down the line.
01:30 It's a final bastion for some to help manage treatment-resistant PTSD.
01:36 Last year, Australia became the first country to approve MDMA as a medicine.
01:42 It can only be prescribed by authorised psychiatrists and used under strict conditions in psychotherapy.
01:49 But as companies look to expand usage beyond clinical trials, there are potential risks.
01:55 If they have a family history of psychosis or related disorders, if they have certain
02:02 personality structures, then this can make them more vulnerable during the treatment.
02:08 Companies like Emmeria are looking to prove psychedelics are effective and safe to major
02:13 health insurers to reduce the out-of-pocket cost for patients.
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