Welcome to the 22nd WCP Congress Program Scheduling

This symposium will present a critical reflection on the promises and pitfalls of psychedelics in psychiatry and focus on its uses in depression and PTSD. We will stimulate discussion regarding a "hot topic" in lay society, academia and the military/veteran populations that we serve. We will share a brief historic narrative highlighting key touch points in the evolution of psychedelic medicines. Cultural rituals emerged historically throughout the world in populations separated by thousands of kilometres. Within the realm of psychotrauma the Dutch psychiatrist Jan Bastiaans used LSD to treat Holocaust survivors suffering from what clearly was PTSD and likely Moral Injury. More recently, over the past 2 decades a psychedelic renaissance has occurred with a decidedly "biopharmaceutical approach"; developing novel molecules, conducting clinical trials in academic centres and aiming for the approval by government/regulatory bodies. Dr Vermetten will provide an overview of the revival in psychiatry, psychedelics and psychoplastogenes; Dr Jetly will present new uses of psilocybin in treatment of depression and PTSD, and Dr Yehuda will discuss uses of MDMA in treatment of PTSD. This workshop will conclude with a discussion regarding the present and future regarding the safety and efficacy of these approaches.