NSW Consumers Face Hurdles for Medicinal Ecstasy Access, Minister Says

A Bureau of Customs (BOC) personnel displays confiscated illegal drugs, known Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA), commonly refered to as ecstasy, at a press conference at the BOC headquarters in Manila, Philippines, on Sept. 14, 2016. (Noel Celis/AFP/Getty Images)

Consumers in NSW still face “ludicrous” and “expensive” barriers to accessing medicinal ecstasy despite the approved use of MDMA and other psychedelics for mental health conditions in Australia, according to a minister.

In 2023, Australia’s Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) approved the use of MDMA for treating post-traumatic stress disorder and treatment-resistant depression.

But NSW government restrictions have prevented doctors from treating patients in their clinics, which has compelled patients to travel interstate for treatment.

Former federal coalition minister Andrew Robb has criticised the move by NSW Health, saying that it will block access to those who seek treatment for PTSD and treatment-resistant depression.

“The efficacy and safety of the medical use of psilocybin and MDMA was dealt with in detail in MMA’s rescheduling applications which the TGA accepted. Urgent change to the NSW Health Department regulations regarding the medicinal use of psychedelics in NSW is desperately needed,” Mr. Robb said.

However, Professor Richard Harvey, Chair of the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists (RANZCP) Psychedelic Assisted Therapy Steering Group, previously told The Epoch Times that Psychedelic Assisted Therapy is “not a miracle cure,” but an “experimental and emerging field” that may offer hope to “a small number of people where other treatments have been attempted without success.”

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“More research is needed to find out which people will respond best, and which people may be at risk when using the treatment, as well as the longer term safety and efficacy,” Mr. Harvey said.

Meanwhile, the NSW government restrictions mandate only certain registered psychiatrists to apply for approval to prescribe MDMA, with authorisation required from a human research ethics committee, the TGA, and NSW Health.

Treatments are limited to mental health hospitals, with patients required to stay overnight instead of attending day clinics.

The restrictions forced one of the first two Australians treated with medicinal MDMA in January to travel from NSW to Melbourne for dosing sessions due to limited hospital access. The treating psychiatrist and clinical psychologist travelled along to Melbourne with the patients.

“NSW mental health sufferers face the ludicrous and hugely expensive situation of being forced to travel to Victoria or Queensland for the course of treatments,” Mr. Robb said. “It’s just ridiculous.”

The veteran coalition MP and former federal Liberal Party director, who has openly shared his struggles with depression in the past, firmly opposed the recreational use of drugs.

“In over 125 clinical trials there is no data that justifies claims regarding psychotic episodes or impulsive self-harm [from medicinal MDMA],” he said.

“The fear-mongering being peddled by the NSW Department of Health is wrong and indefensible, given that their assertions have been demonstrably proven to be incorrect.”

Experts Warn of Severe Side Effects

Yet the NSW Department of Health defended its strict measures, citing “patient safety.”

It warns that psychedelic treatments may lead to psychotic episodes, impulsive self-harm, and dissociative states.

Medical experts also warn of “rapid mood shifts” from using MDMA in clinical treatment, citing cases of paranoia, traumatisation, worsening depression, and suicidal behaviour among the severe side effects observed in some cases.

“There is potential for psychedelic substances to cause fear, panic or cause psychological damage if given to susceptible and vulnerable people who have been inadequately screened or assessed,” Professor of Psychiatry at the University of New South Wales (UNSW) Colleen Loo noted.

“You can be catapulted from being severely depressed to being completely well in one day. However, you can also fall back that whole distance in one day, which is a bit mind-blowing because people aren’t used to having such rapid shifts of mood,” she said.

The TGA acknowledged concerns regarding the accessibility of MDMA and psilocybin under the new changes but confirmed that “strict rules” will be in place.

“They are concerned that there are not appropriate controls in place to protect patient safety. Or that the changes may lead to substance abuse problems in the community,” the national medicines authority noted.

“Psychiatrists will need to show they have the necessary training, competency and robust evidence-based treatment protocols that appropriately control the risks to patients.”

‘Difficult’ Yet ‘Necessary’ System

Mental Health Minister Rose Jackson admitted the system was challenging to navigate.

However, she said the current measures are necessary to ensure the safety of all participants during the rigorous research process, as was best practice.

“There are challenges for consumers when it comes to access, which is reflected in the limited uptake in NSW,” she said.

“That is why we are reviewing annually to see where we can make improvements to the system.”

Despite some concerns that NSW maintains some of the strictest controls, Health Minister Ryan Park emphasised the need for caution in aligning regulations with neighbouring states, considering the novelty of this medical field.

“NSW Health ... are not people who want to try and stop improvements in treatments, but they do want to make sure that we are operating on an evidence base,” he said.

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AAP contributed to this report.