Psychedelic medicine is going mainstrea...ho will benefit_ - The Washington Post -

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The Wa hi g P Who Will Bene From P chedelic Medicine The e b a ce a e bei g ed a a game-cha gi g i e e i f me al heal h B i clea if hei mi e ill be acce ible all S ppor jo rnalism o can r s hen i ma ers mos . G t on r for $ B Wh tn Jo n r Ill a ion b T a Bob SEPTEMBER 1, O na ea S nda morning in A g of la ear, Jamilah George a on he 16 h floor of he hi oric Bro n Ho el in Lo i ille, leading a piri al er ice of or . George, a doc oral candida e in clinical p cholog a he Uni er i of Connec ic ho al o hold a ma er degree in di ini from Yale Uni er i , a ked he a dience o ho o he name of ance or or people he admired. Wi h each name, George performed a liba ion ri al, po ring a er in o a leaf green plan , a ioned a he fron of he podi m, a a ge re of hank . Ma a Angelo , called o one a dience member. Mama Lola, called ano her. The name kep coming: Toni Morrison. A dre Lorde. Maha ma Gandhi. Harrie T bman. George, ho had been par of a eam a U-Conn. r nning he onl clinical rial o d he effec of he p cho ropic dr g MDMA on po - ra ma ic re di order i h par icipan of color, an ed he a dience o connec i hi c l ral lineage before he ar ed her pre en a ion a bracing call for incl ion and ocial j ice i hin he b rgeoning orld of p chedelic healing. I a orld ha hold grea promi e b i o er helmingl Whi e and economicall pri ileged. Par of he problem, a George ee i , i ha academia ha lo i connec ion o he hi orie of he e con cio ne -al ering b ance (al o kno n a en heogen ), man of hich ha e been ed b Indigeno c l re for ph ical and p chological healing for ho and of ear . I p o o find a o di emina e re o rce and op lea ing hem a he op, in he mo eli e re earch in i ion , he aid o he mall a dience of p cho herapi , ho ere here o learn ho p cho ropic b ance like me h lenedio me hamphe amine (MDMA) and p iloc bin, he ac i e ingredien in hall cinogenic ( magic ) m hroom , co ld be ed o heal men al and emo ional di re . We ha e o find a o ake hi informa ion and bring i do n o i acce ible, he con in ed. MDMA o can e en prono nce i ! We ha e o find a o make hi informa ion ran la able. I like peaking ano her lang age. The ne da , he p blic par of he ina g ral P chedelic Medicine & C l ral Tra ma Work hop ended and he p cho herapi raining began. Fif herapi of color had been accep ed in o he eek-long raining, ho ed b MAPS, he M l idi ciplinar A ocia ion for P chedelic S die . In he raining, herapi o ld learn be prac ice for ing he en heogen MDMA o rea PTSD in heir pa ien . MAPS i c rren l d ing MDMA-a i ed p cho herap a a me hod of rea ing PTSD. The clinical rial are in Pha e 3 he la age before appro al from he U.S. Food and Dr g Admini ra ion and MAPS, hich ha been orking o ard hi momen ince i incep ion a a re earch and ad ocac organi a ion in 1986, ha been preparing for a po -appro al orld. Before he C l ral Tra ma ork hop in Ken ck , MAPS had rained 285 herapi , i h he idea ha hile he can legall prac ice e he ill be read o open heir door once appro al i final. B fe er han 10 percen of ho e rained ere people of color. If MAPS an ed herapi o rea clien of color, he o ld need o rain herapi of color. La ear, here ere a lea 20 conference in he Uni ed S a e co ering he la e de elopmen in p chedelic cience and medicine. I a conference-happ comm ni , hich make en e: Mo of he b ance di c ed a he e e en are labeled a Sched le 1 or 2 b he U.S. Dr g Enforcemen Admini ra ion, o, o ide of clinical re earch, heir e i illegal. (Sched le 1 dr g are con idered o ha e he highe po en ial for ab e, i h no c rren l accep ed medical e. MDMA i a Sched le 1 dr g, a i cannabi , and i ranked a more dangero han o codone and cocaine, hich are bo h Sched le 2.) Conference are one of he fe place here re earcher , clinician , ad oca e and he c rio p blic can learn abo de elopmen in he field and mee o her p chedelic proponen . Compared o a h ge e en like Ne York Ci Hori on : Per pec i e on P chedelic conference, hich ha con ened e er fall in Ne York for 13 ear and la ear bro gh in o er 2,800 a endee , he o-da p blic ork hop in Ken ck a in , i h fe er han 100 par icipan and er li le a en ion from a media ha energe icall co er p chedelic de elopmen . B he ga hering hich fea red alk on dr g legali a ion and emic raci m, pre en a ion on Indigeno healing me hod , e perien ial gro p e erci e , and e en a dance performance a gro ndbreaking. I a hi oric no onl beca ei a he fir ch raining for herapi of color, b beca e i marked a rning poin in he main reaming of p chedelic . Man of he organi er and pre en er are par of a larger effor o di er if he orld of p chedelic healing. The are p hing back again he pop lar narra i e ha p chedelic origina ed in Whi e, mid-cen r co n erc l ral mo emen and, perhap mo ignifican , figh ing o en re ha he ne field of p chedelic medicine of en o ed a a miracle for long- anding and deep-roo ed r ggle like rea men - re i an depre ion, addic ion, an ie and PTSD ill be acce ible o all. Thi incl de Black and non-Whi e comm ni ie ha ha e been hi oricall o er-policed and hea il incarcera ed for po e ion or ale of ome of he e b ance . (Whi e people and Black people are eq all likel o e illegal dr g , a 2009 H man Righ Wa ch repor fo nd, b Black people are arre ed for dr g offen e a m ch higher ra e han Whi e people.) George, ho i Black, poke direc l o he e ineq i ie a he clima of her alk. While Whi e people migh ee p chedelic e a edg or con ro er ial, here i li le legal ri k in Whi e e of he e b ance . We ern re earcher ha e aken ome of he e Indigeno religio radi ion , ing hem o ide of heir piri al con e ... and hen ake i for o r el e and go o a ra e and j mp aro nd and fla h he ligh , George aid. We go in he mo n ain and ha e a elf-di co er kind of e perience. Her oice ro e a a dience member clapped in agreemen . All of ha i ama ing. Le do ha . B le bring o her ih . Le find a for ho e ho ha e been oppre ed for genera ion o e perience he ame freedom ha ome of in hi room ha e on a Sa rda morning beca e he feel like i . No on a T e da nigh hen he e had o ake off ork and find a bab i er o ake care of he kid o he can come o he clinic and par icipa e in hi re earch and pra ha i free hem, o he can keep heir familie and keep heir job . She con in ed: Li e depend on . Yo ee ha I m a ing? When o reall hink abo i , hen o break i do n like ha , li e depend on . The e i li le legal i k i Whi e e f chedelic b a ce B Black a d Whi e c mm i ie ha e bee hi icall e liced a d hea il i ca ce a ed f e i ale f me f he e b a ce I o ld be hard o a oid co erage of ha been called he p chedelic renai ance : I e er here. In a recen epi ode of 60 Min e , Ander on Cooper repor ed on cce f l clinical rial a John Hopkin and Ne York Uni er i ha fo nd p iloc bin can help i h, re pec i el , moking ce a ion and binge drinking. G ne h Pal ro Ne fli ho The Goop Lab dedica ed an epi ode o follo ing Goop emplo ee a a healing p iloc bin re rea in Jamaica, here m hroom are legal. And, of co r e, here cience jo rnali Michael Pollan No. 1 Ne York Time be eller Ho o Change Yo r Mind: Wha he Ne Science of P chedelic Teache U Abo Con cio ne , D ing, Addic ion, Depre ion, and Tran cendence. The poli ic aro nd p chedelic are changing a ell: Wi h grea effor from ad oca e , ario mea re o decriminali e po e ion of cer ain en heogen ha e pa ed in Oakland and San a Cr , Calif., a ell a Den er, and imilar campaign are nder a in Chicago and o her ci ie . In No ember, hi mo emen ill come o D.C., hen re iden ill o e on he her o decriminali e magic m hroom . En heogen like pe o e and a ah a ca ha e been ed i hin Indigeno c l re for ho and of ear , b hi la e a e of re earch ha mo l foc ed on o b ance : MDMA, a deri a i e of he a afra ree, hich a fir n he i ed in a lab in 1912 and ed in herape ic e ing hro gho he 70 and earl 80 before being labeled a Sched le 1 dr g in 1985; and p iloc bin, added o Sched le 1 in 1971. P iloc bin i fo nd na rall in ome m hroom and ha been ed in Indigeno c l re all o er he globe; m hroom iconograph ha been fo nd in prehi oric ca e pain ing . In he la e 1990 , a handf l of re earcher ar ed o ake p he ork ha had been dropped hen he e b ance ere criminali ed. (Dropped, a lea , in abo egro nd i a ion ; herapi con in ed, and ill con in e, orking ndergro nd.) No he field ha e ploded: When George a ha li e depend on herapi learning o e he e modali ie , he no being drama ic. The n mber o ld impre an one. In he John Hopkin moking- ce a ion d , cond c ed in 2006 i h a mall gro p of par icipan , 80 percen of long- erm moker opped moking for a lea i mon h af er heir p iloc bin rea men . Af er a ear, 67 percen ere ill non moker . Nine ear la er, John Hopkin p bli hed he re l of ano her rial in hich p iloc bin a ed cce f ll o rea depre ion and an ie in cancer pa ien , i h he change la ing in 80 percen of par icipan af er i mon h . The ni er i ha in e ed o m ch in he field ha i la nched a and-alone Cen er for P chedelic and Con cio ne Re earch la ear and i orking on die o e p iloc bin o rea addic ion, anore ia and man o her i e . Mean hile, in 2017 he FDA gran ed break hro gh herap a o MDMA-a i ed p cho herap o rea PTSD, af er pri a el f nded MAPS die fo nd ha 56 percen of par icipan e perienced ignifican relief o m ch o ha he no longer me he req iremen for PTSD. (The FDA can di c ongoing rial , a poke per on old me o er email.) Break hro gh a i gi en o herapie ha ha e ho n grea promi e, i h he idea ha he ill be gi en priori i hin he FDA appro al proce , and MAPS predic MDMA-a i ed p cho herap ill be a ailable ome ime in he ne fe ear . I e e perienced he rea men m elf: Af er edi ing a or abo MDMA-a i ed p cho herap man ear ago, I connec ed i h a highl killed ndergro nd herapi o addre he lingering effec of m fa her dea h hen I a 14, effec ha alk herap and medi a ion hadn relie ed. While i a diffic l and painf l o face he ra ma ha I d b ried, I grea l benefi ed from he ork. B a d af er d ho ed po i i e o come o er he ear , one hing a con an : There a li le di er i among bo h he d lead and he par icipan . In 2015, Na alie Gin berg, MAPS direc or of polic and ad ocac , came acro he name of Monnica William , a clinical p chologi hen a he Uni er i of Lo i ille. William , ho i Black, died ob e i e-comp l i e di order, an ie and he effec of raci m, and her ork e ci ed Gin berg, ho ro e William o a k if he migh be in ere ed in orking i h MAPS. Social marginali a ion compo nd ra ma, Gin berg ro e me ia email. Regardle of he origin of heir ra ma, hich co ld em from an n mber of ca e , incl ding e al a a l , childhood ra ma and mili ar er ice, people ho e perience he highe ra e of ra ma are ho e mo marginali ed from ocie , hich in he U.S. incl de people of color. William had no pre io e perience i h p chedelic . I had a bo friend in high chool ho ed LSD once or ice, and I don remember an remarkable ran forma ion happening a a re l, he old me. I ook ome con incing. I kind of eemed like ma be he fad of he eek, o kno ? recall William . Where he a , o kno , o drink a gla of a er i h inegar and lemon j ice and o lo e 50 po nd . Like, eah, righ . B ac all reading he re earch, eeing he ideo of he par icipan ge ing be er ... hen o do hi ork, o can look a people and o can ell: Tha per on i reall ill. And hen o ee ha ame per on la er and he re miling and heir face i brigh . And he re making e e con ac and he re alking abo he f re. Seeing ha hole progre ion on a ideo ape, ha kind of ha con inced me. I n 2016, MAPS in i ed William o join i clinical rial o d MDMA for PTSD, b her rial o ld be niq e: I o ld incl de onl par icipan of color and mo l herapi of color. There a no rea on o belie e ha MDMA o ld no ork a ell i h people of color, b here a o li le da a ha MAPS and William had no a o ell. Jamilah George re earched an ie and racial ra ma, and came aboard he d af er mee ing William a a conference. George a ini iall ar . I e al a een dr g a dangero , leading o iolence and incarcera ion , George old me. Ne er ome hing ha I a a a mean o healing, cer ainl no for e plora ion or f n. Learning more abo p chedelic a range for me: I a aro nd all Whi e people, alking abo heir e perience i h he e b ance and ho he d changed heir li e and ho m ch he d learned abo hem el e . I a o foreign o me and reall diffic l o rap m mind aro nd. A orld in hich o can e an illegal b ance and aren a ri k for being arre ed? I a like, Where am I? The eam pen o ear preparing, ing he g ideline e o b MAPS. Fir he en hro gh heir o n raining, incl ding a req ired MDMA-a i ed herap e ion of heir o n, called MT-1, o he co ld rela e o and nder and heir par icipan e perience . The al o had o find he righ lab pace a he Uni er i of Connec ic . Since MDMA al er con cio ne , rendering par icipan more open and lnerable a a e ha allo for afe e plora ion, and hen reproce ing, of ra ma he pro ocol req ire hem o pend he nigh af er a rea men , hich add more reg la or i e and aff ho r . Tr ing o p he rea men in o ord ho doe i ork, e ac l ? i a challenge, ince p chedelic e perience are of en ineffable, and people ill re pond differen l depending on heir niq e circ m ance , heir brain chemi r and he e ing in hich he e perience ake place. A no e of ca ion, ho e er: The re earch abo p chedelic-a i ed p cho herap em from herape ic e ing , here clien are caref ll per i ed, i h adherence o pro ocol aro nd age and do age no a recrea ional one here m l iple ariable co ld be a pla , like he p ri of he b ance and he rro nding en ironmen . The fe cien ific oice e pre ing concern foc no on he re earch, b on he q ick e pan ion of he field a a hole and he lack of re earch in nonmedical e ing . If he e dr g are appro ed a herape ic rea men , ill pharmacological-grade dr g become ea il a ailable and ed and ab ed recrea ionall ? a ked Wa hing on Uni er i p chia r profe or E gene R bin in a 2018 P cholog Toda ar icle. To de cribe he rea men , MAPS herapi ill of en e he analog of he bod , a Sara Reed, a herapi in and d coordina or of he U-Conn. rial. The MAPS lang age of he rea men approach i ha here an in elligence ha o r bod ha , ha an o mo e o ard healing, a Reed, ho i Black. When o ge a c on o r arm, a long a o are in a pre heal h , f nc ioning bod , o r bod going o kno ha o do o heal i elf, o op he bleeding and crea e he cab. We belie e ha he p che al o ha ha ame proper . The p che an o mo e o ard healing, b ome ime here are barrier ha ge in he a of ha healing proce . O r philo oph in hi rea men i o crea e a con ainer here ome of ho e barrier are remo ed, o folk can proce ra ma in heir o n a , a heir o n ime. The herap help o look a he bigger pic re, a Terence Ching, a doc oral den in clinical p cholog a U-Conn. and a herapi in he rial, ho i Singaporean Chine e. I almo feel like o r life before a j ooming in on he p le piece . No o re aking a ep back a fe ep back o ee ho hing fi in. ... I can ea il ee ho , for a per on i h PTSD ho ha n re ponded o alk herap , cogni i e beha ioral herap or e en medical marij ana, ha hi migh be he hing ha he migh need op h hing along o i click . And he can begin o enjo heir li e again. De pi e he re earcher op imi m af er heir o n e perience ih MDMA-a i ed p cho herap , he oon faced ob acle . William q ickl reali ed ha he MAPS pro ocol for ho o recr i par icipan , and hen ho o ake hem hro gh rea men , a no going o ork. We ere ba icall r ing o ake a d ha had alread been de igned for Whi e people and make i ork for people of color, he a . The herap ha o make en e and feel like a good fi for he per on ge ing i . And ha ma feel like good herap for a Whi e per on ma no nece aril re ona e i h omebod from a differen e hnic gro p. Thi di crepanc ho ed p in recr i men . I eemed almo impo ible o find par icipan . The o her clinic had long ai ing li of people r ing o ge in o he d , George a . O r ai ing li a emp . The eam reali ed he d need o make ome mall b highl ignifican change , like making re he ed he ord par icipan and d in heir ma erial , in ead of bjec and e perimen . We re pre a are of he hi or of medical a roci ie commi ed again comm ni ie of color in he Uni ed S a e , Ching old me. We reall an ed he lang age, a lea , o reflec ha e re a are of ha . We an o be more in i ing, beca e here alread ha la er of igma and mi r of he medical em ha comm ni ie of color ha e. Ed ca ion d ring he recr i men period a differen , oo. People of color needed more ppor in he creening proce , Reed a , o comba he c l ral igma a ocia ed i h eeking men al heal h help, a ell a fear ha ing p chedelic , e en in a clinical e ing, migh lead o a harmf l o come. Wha are ps chedelics? Wha is MDMA? Am I coming here o ge high? Co ld o ell me abo ha he o ernigh session is going o be like? Am I going o be safe? So e had o pend a lo of ime ed ca ing par icipan and pro iding he lang age hro gho he creening proce , from informed con en o enrollmen . I o ld be o r herapi , George recall elling po en ial par icipan . Me, a Black oman. The o her per on in he room ill be a per on of color. There a hole eam commi ed o make o feel afe. Then o ha e o make hem feel afe eno gh o an o hear more, hen pro ide ed ca ion abo ha he dr g ac all i . Yo ha e o ge hem o an o do he d . Once par icipan did enroll, he eam had o eak MAPS pro ocol f r her. MAPS a on board, George a : Like, He , e hadn ho gh abo an of he e hing , and hank o . D ring MDMA- a i ed p cho herap e ion , par icipan li en o m ic hro gh headphone of en rela ing, in r men al piece ha o migh hear in a pa or a oga cen er. The U-Conn. eam an ed o c ra e he e pla li o allo for m ic ha o ld ma ch each par icipan c l ral backgro nd and in er ec ing iden i ie . The ph ical pace al o allo ed for more c l ral repre en a ion. The pain ing on he all, he maga ine on he able, he coffee m g e had e ere j reall in en ional ha an hing ha o r par icipan o ld come in con ac i h o ld onl f r her heir feeling of afe and ha he belong, a George. We an ed folk o come in and a , Thi i familiar. I recogni e hi ar ork. I ee people ho look like me. We ere e plici abo c l ral repre en a ion in o r indi id al pre en a ion a ell. Ma be I d ear a ken e clo h head rap. Making re ha e o r el e repre en ed o r o n c l re a a mean o model ha beha ior for o r par icipan o he can be f ll hem el e and le all heir pain come for h hich i reall diffic l o do in a ne pace i h ne people, e peciall if o e ne er alked abo ha pain before. Wha ma feel like good he a fo a Whi e e on ma no nece a il e ona e i h omebod f om a diffe en e hnic g o a Monnica William a clinical p chologi leading he rial E ach enrolled par icipan a a mall ic or , a prod c of ho r of p choed ca ion. Reed a MAPS ondered h hing ere differen i h heir eam. The o ld a k q e ion like, Yo are pending a lo of ime i h o r par icipan . Wha hi abo ? I a n like, Yo need o op, b i a j more of a c rio i . Wha he difference in need a he i e a oppo ed o o her i e ? The difference a ha people of color needed more ppor d ring he on e of he creening proce and hi rea men , o e co ld ac all re ain hem. There ere ome par icipan ho, if here eren ac i e engagemen i h hem d ring hi in rod c or proce , he par icipan go o er helmed and o ld lea e or i hdra from he d prema rel . Time a ano her i e. The c rren pro ocol for MDMA-a i ed p cho herap incl de 42 ho r of herap o er 12 eek . Thi incl de m l iple e ion i h herapi before he ac al do e of MDMA. Then, here are hree do ing e ion paced a mon h or o apar , and each do ing e ion la a f ll da (MDMA mo in en e effec la aro nd fo r o i ho r ) i h an o ernigh a . In be een, par icipan are ppo ed o ee herapi reg larl o e plore ha came p in he do ing e ion , i h a erie of e ion af er he final do e. Some of he po en ial par icipan in he U-Conn. rial, ho e er, fo nd hi ime commi men o be in rmo n able. The eam ondered: Co ld he combine appoin men ? We ere r ing o accommoda e, b i a reall impo ible for a lo of people o commi o i , a George. The ob acle con in ed: Po en ial par icipan had ro ble con incing heir familie and par ner ha he rea men a or h hile and afe. [MDMA] i no a form of rea men ha ed picall e perience, a George. I oo foreign and car for people. Af er o ear of ork, one par icipan made i all he a hro gh: a clien orking i h Sara Reed. The par icipan had end red man e perience of ra ma from hi childhood, race-rela ed ra ma, ra ma here hi bod a iola ed, a Reed. He carried o m ch in hi bod . In hi fir do ing e ion, [m co- herapi and I] a hi bod rela in profo nd a . He a la ghing in ch a a ha I ab ol el belie e i a par of he relea e. He kep a ing, I feel o rela ed, and [m co- herapi and I] ere looking a each o her, i ne ing hi proce of being able o rela for he fir ime in a long ime or e er, a an ad l in hi bod , i h all of i hi orie and comple i ie and memorie . For him o be h man: He a n a per on of color, he a n a per on ho had ra ma ic e perience ; he a omeone ho go o be h man. I reminded me of m o n e perience of MT-1, here I fel freedom for he fir ime in m bod . Of co r e e need more re earch o back hi p, b I e fo nd ha people are able o e perience ome en e of freedom in heir bod i h hi medicine. To me, ha ome hing ha ha been par of m mi ion in hi ork o help more people of color o be h man, o rela . When pre en ed in he righ con ainer, ha i he po er and he po en ial of hi medicine. B af er lo ing he pre cribing p chia ri on her eam he onl member legall able o pre cribe MDMA William a forced o h do n he clinical rial al oge her. I a a cr hing di appoin men , b al o no rpri ing con idering he ob acle he faced. I hink i more mbolic in a lo of a , William a of heir re earch. E en if he d cce f ll comple ed rea men for he 10 par icipan he d originall planned for, i ill o ldn ha e been eno gh da a o a for cer ain ho MDMA-a i ed p cho herap ork i h people of color . heir Whi e co n erpar . I hink he bigger al e i he amo n of a en ion ha hi effor ha go en i hin he p chedelic re earch comm ni , William a . And ho ha been able o bring more change , m ch more han e co ld ha e go en o of he d i elf. The raining conference in Ken ck a a direc re l of heir par iall comple ed d : The ob acle and he emic i e poin ed o b William and her eam go he a en ion of MAPS and, cr ciall , i donor . (Donor o MAPS, a 501(c)(3) organi a ion, pan he poli ical pec r m and incl de Dr. Bronner oap compan , a hor Tim Ferri and he Mercer Famil Fo nda ion; he Ken ck ork hop a f nded b he Open Socie Fo nda ion , Libra Fo nda ion and he Ri erS Fo nda ion, among o her .) If o an hi [ rea men ] o be acce ible o people of color, o can e he ame ra egie ha marginali ed hem in he fir place, a George. Marcela O alora, a Bo lder, Colo.-ba ed p cho herapi ho ha been in ol ed in MAPS MDMA ork ince he organi a ion incep ion, helped lead he herap raining in Ken ck . There are o man place here marginali ed comm ni ie ha e o p p i h going o a prac i ioner ha i Whi e and i no going o rea hem he ame a , or i no going o nder and, and i going o ma be do hing ha are harmf l in ome a i ho kno ing i , he a . E en i h a ne foc on incl i i i hin p chedelic-a i ed p cho herap re earch, q e ion remain aro nd i e of acce . If and hen he FDA appro e MDMA ed for PTSD, i ill no be idel a ailable; i ill be an op ion onl for people i h a formal clinical diagno i of PTSD. I ill al o be incredibl e pen i e: E ima e range from $13,000 o $15,000 per rea men ro nd, and i no clear ha migh be co ered b heal h in rance. The co i no abo he b ance; i he herape ic ho r ha ill be req ired he 42 ho r of herap , incl ding hree o ernigh and he fac ha herapi ork in eam of o, a mea re aken for pa ien afe . Clinician are r ing o fig re o ho o bring ha immen e co do n. Fe er appoin men ? Can he ork be done in a gro p, o m l iple clien can ork oge her a he ame ime? (Thi i of en ho en heogen are ed in radi ional and Indigeno e ing .) A liding cale? Pro bono? A leng h a he proce o FDA appro al ha been, here ill a lo on he line for clinician and ac i i . The an o ee he e rea men a ailable, b he an o ge hem righ . To hi end, MAPS i la nching a heal h eq i ini ia i e hi fall o benefi marginali ed clien , incl ding herapi and per i or cholar hip and pa ien acce f nd . I impor an o reall lo do n and reall hink abo ha if e mo e o ard main reaming p chedelic ing p cho herap ha implica ion doe hi ha e, a Reed. I hi going o be an el i e form of medicine, here here going o be a elec fe ho ha e he l r o ake he ime off o ge he rea men , or ho ha e he f nd o p rcha e he rea men ? Or are e going o make i acce ible o ome of he mo lnerable pop la ion ha need i : people of color, Black folk , ran folk , ran omen of color par ic larl ? ... Who are e reall arge ing in p chedelic medicine? Tha a h ge q e ion. Whi ne Joiner is an ar icles edi or for he maga ine. Design b Chris ian Fon .