PAREA

Highly important news from Ukraine in the field of psychedelic medicines: Yesterday, the Ukrainian Ministry of Health published two key documents open for consultation over the next 30 days: 1. A proposal to reschedule several psychedelic substances - psilocybin, psilocin, any mushrooms containing these substances, LSD, DMT, 5-MeO-DMT, MDMA, and Ibogaine, to enable scientific research. 2. A draft by-law to regulate research involving scheduled substances. I'm grateful that PAREA has contributed to these developments through recent meetings with the Ukrainian Ministry of Health and our ongoing collaboration with the Ukrainian psychedelic community, initiated last year in Warsaw (https://lnkd.in/ddetGv8A). Special recognition to the UPRA - Ukrainian Psychedelic Research Association and its co-founder Oleh Orlov for their leading role in driving these developments. The published documents mark a significant step forward in enabling clinical research on psychedelics in Ukraine and could pave the way for medical access in the future. ?? Your support is crucial! Publicly expressing your backing or submitting letters to the Ukrainian Ministry of Health can make a genuine difference, especially coming from established institutions and respected communities. You can reach out directly to the Ministry at [email protected] or [email protected] or feel free to DM me.

WHO Europe estimates that three out of four people with major depression do not receive adequate treatment. Their more recent report shows that the coverage of treatment interventions for people with substance use disorders ranges from just 2.1% to 35% for drug use disorders and from 1.2% to 13.8% for alcohol use disorders. But what’s behind these dismally low figures? It may not be what we’d intuitively expect. A recent JAMA Psychiatry study, analysing survey data from 57,000 respondents across 21 countries over 19 years, provides some unexpected answers. The study, “Effective Treatment for Mental and Substance Use Disorders in 21 Countries”, highlights a shocking statistic: only 6.9% of people with those conditions receive effective treatment. This means that just seven out of every 100 people worldwide receive effective care for their mental health or substance use disorder. How is this possible? ?? The biggest barrier isn’t a lack of effective interventions or even access to healthcare professionals. Instead, the most significant hurdle—concerning nearly half of those affected—is that they don’t believe they need help in the first place. Among those who did recognise the need for care: ?? Only 34% sought care from the medical system. ?? 83% of them received a minimum level of adequate treatment. ?? 47% of those who received minimally adequate treatment went on to get effective treatment. Thus, there are four key junctures where people might drop out of the system: 1?? Recognising the need for treatment 2?? Making contact with the healthcare system 3?? Receiving a minimum level of adequate treatment 4?? Receiving comprehensive effective treatment Interestingly, the number of mental health specialists per capita wasn’t a predictor of better treatment access. Instead, having more generalist doctors (non-psychiatrists) was. A major gap exists after patients reach the healthcare system but before they receive effective treatment. Since general practitioners and family doctors are often the first point of contact, ensuring they have the right training is crucial. Strengthening their ability to diagnose and treat mild to moderate mental health issues—and knowing when to refer severe cases to specialists—must be a priority. The study shows that access isn’t the real issue—awareness and stigma are. We need to rethink mental healthcare, not just in terms of availability, but also in how we help people understand their own need for support. We need to empower general practitioners, expand mental health literacy, and challenge the stigma that stops people from recognising their need for care. The JAMA study: https://lnkd.in/dcAFBdJR

The EU4Health Civil Society Alliance has publicly shared concerns over the ongoing lack of information on the EU4Health work programme and operating grants for 2025 - apprehensions shared by PAREA.?Three months into the year, no timeline has been provided for their publication or retroactive implementation, creating financial uncertainty for health-focused civil society organisations (CSOs). The Alliance calls on the European Commission to act swiftly to release the 2025 work programme, address funding gaps, and prevent similar disruptions in the future. As a member and co-signatory of the letter of concern, PAREA stands with its fellow CSOs in advocating for a more stable and sustainable funding framework to support meaningful contributions to European health policy. https://lnkd.in/ejQ6vaUZ

Advancing Mental Health Research in Europe: PAREA Welcomes the Warsaw Declaration PAREA welcomes the Warsaw Declaration, adopted this week under the Polish presidency of the Council of the European Union. This declaration underscores the need for strong, independent funding for R&I to tackle Europe’s most pressing challenges. We particularly support the call for transnational R&I cooperation networks that bring together professionals from diverse disciplines. We believe that in order to address the growing mental health crisis, we must foster collaborative, large-scale research efforts that explore innovative treatments, including psychedelic-based therapies. PAREA urges the EU to establish a dedicated Mental Health Hub to coordinate research efforts and recommends the creation of an EU Mission for Mental Health, akin to the Cancer Mission. By prioritizing brain health and investing in groundbreaking treatments, we can transform mental health care for millions across Europe. ?? Read more about our recommendations in our news release here: https://lnkd.in/d84ZA_jG #MentalHealth #ResearchInnovation #EUfunding #BrainHealth #PsychedelicResearch #UnmetMedicalNeeds

Next Stop: London - June 3-4! Grateful for Our Incredible Advisory Group Helping Us Build Something Special — THE REAL Summit London! https://lnkd.in/e9PDP4cG A huge THANK YOU to our amazing REAL Summit London Advisory Group! Garen Staglin Sabine Flechet Charles H. Finnie Ryan Dermody Peter Kelly ?? Aahuti Rai Joshua Haynes Shivan Bhavnani, CAIA Julia Balandina Jaquier Astrid Leyssens Tadeusz Hawrot Daniel Koppelkamm, CFA Margaret Hines Pascal Joncour Frédéric Destrebecq Manoj Panjwani Andy Ratcliffe Nathan Romano We just had our first call, and I’m honestly blown away by this incredible group of leaders and changemakers. It’s great to follow up on the energy and success of our New York event at Deutsche Bank and our time at Davos during World Economic Forum — and now the momentum is building fast for London! This isn’t just an advisory group — this is a powerhouse of diverse voices, bringing together finance, mental health, philanthropy, business, and community leaders, all united by a common mission: to make THE REAL Summit London a truly impactful and memorable event. The energy, passion, and commitment on that first call reminded me exactly why we’re doing this — to spark real conversations, create meaningful connections, and drive forward the mental health movement globally. Feeling grateful, inspired, and excited to be working alongside each and every one of you. Thank you for helping us continue this journey and for making London the next powerful stop in building THE REAL community. See you all June 3-4 in London! Shout out to past support and sponsors in NYC & Davos! Deutsche Bank happy? The Carter Center Kids Help Phone Dandelion Health BetterHelp Deloitte UBS Crisis Text Line PAREA Diamond Wealth Epstein Becker & Green, P.C. Mindful Philanthropy SecondMuse Prospira Global Private Equity Marketeer Ortus Foundation Mettle One Mind Convergence Partners Delphi Unicef

A fantastic publication from one of our own at PAREA! We’re lucky to have such dedicated expertise on our team. And on top of that, it’s Francisca's birthday today - join us in sending our best wishes!

Registration Now Open - THE REAL Summit London: The Intersection Of Finance And Mental Health, June 9-10 This Event Will Sell Out Buy Tickets Here https://www.thereal.events For Sponorship Opportunities email [email protected] After an oversold first REAL Summit at Deutsche Bank’s headquarters in New York City and a sold-out REAL Mental Health Day in Davos during the World Economic Forum, we are keeping the momentum going and expanding the conversation globally. THE REAL Summit is not just another event—it’s a MOVEMENT We are bringing together global leaders, family offices, foundations, institutional investors, policymakers, insurers, academics, and industry innovators to continue building the mental health investment ecosystem. Our mission is clear: To help catalyze capital and collaboration with the goal of moving $10 billion of new capital into mental health by 2030. Now, London is next. If you want to be part of this growing movement, registration is now open. Just like our past events, this will sell out. Join us in shaping the future of mental health investment. Secure your spot today. Buy Early Bird Tickets here https://www.thereal.events Thank you REAL Global Supporters! Ryan Dermody George Harrington Ronald Diamond Natasha Müller Daniel Koppelkamm, CFA Pascal Joncour Manoj Panjwani Jen Libby, MSW, LCSW Rennie Sloan Jeremy Kamo Margaret Hines Kevin Hines Geoff Moore Maria Dostoynova-Limitovskiy, Jur.Dr. Amber Mahood Howard Fischer Nathan Romano Elisha London Jules Chappell OBE Tobias Binder Kasper Wichmann ?? Brian Hughes Danielle Patterson Kostis A. Tselenis Amer Vohora Lia Mix, LMFT, CPTR Anastasiya Kulygin Justine Mana Nicolas L. Kiep Heather Kelly Vooha Vellanki Erik Sebusch Phil Southerland Alicia Douglas Scilla Andreen Dulyavit (Chien) Laothongdee Rebecca O. Bagley Becky Pickle

Tadeusz Hawrot has long been one of Europe's most dedicated citizens in promoting scientific research on psychedelics and drug policy reform. For many years, through PAREA (Psychedelic Access and Research - European Alliance), he has been championing evidence-based approaches to these substances and advocating for the integration of psychedelic-assisted therapies into healthcare systems. Naturally, Tadeusz Hawrot is one of the first supporters of PsychedeliCare. "I encourage everyone to support this important initiative. Together, we can pave the way for innovative and science-based approaches to mental health care in Europe!" he said presenting his support to our initiative. Sign now on the European Union website and help us collect the signatures by sharing this initiative with the European citizens closest to your heart or those who care deeply about mental well-being: https://lnkd.in/db6PxPXi We must gather one million signatures. Let's care together! (Photo by Joosep Ints)

OPEN Foundation, a full member of PAREA, is launching a psychedelic therapist training programme. ADEPT (Advanced Education in Psychedelic Therapy) is a two-year hybrid course, led by global experts, designed to equip licensed mental health professionals with the skills and knowledge to become ethical and responsible psychedelic therapists. Applications to join the first ADEPT cohort are open until March 1. Read more and apply here: https://lnkd.in/eTbT6Tu2

We are delighted to welcome Emma Christersson as the new Vice-Chair of the PAREA Board! Emma, already a member of our Board of Directors, brings valuable expertise from the psychedelic research and nonprofit sectors. As Co-Managing Director of Norrsken Mind she has been instrumental in advancing initiatives that bridge psychedelic science, clinical research and policy to improve mental health care. Her leadership and dedication to advancing awareness and development of evidence-based psychedelic therapies will be invaluable as we continue our mission to shape the future of these treatments in Europe. Emma steps into this role following the departure of Dr. Roxana Albu, who is moving on to new opportunities outside the Association of European Cancer Leagues - a member of PAREA. It has been an absolute pleasure to work alongside Roxana, and we are deeply grateful for her unwavering dedication and positive engagement throughout her time on the Board. We wish her the best in all her future endeavors!