Psychedelic Health Equity Initiative

Thank you to everyone who attended the Kellogg Business of Psychedelic Therapies Conference! We are so grateful to the speakers who shared insights into their trailblazing work and vocations, to our sponsor the McCall Family Foundation, and to the planning team for making this event so special! We kicked off the day with our keynote speaker, Imran Khan, who gave an excellent overview of the history of psychedelic research and the nuances of public sentiment towards this field. Next, Kimberly Roddy, Sherry Rais, Britton Rollins, and Rachel Mahoney discussed how the industry is gearing up for commercial offerings of psychedelic-assisted therapy (PAT) for mental health treatment and how students may get involved. We also heard from Senator Rachel F. Ventura, Dan Grossman, Hanifa Nayo Washington, and Lynn-Marie Morski MD, JD on how their organizations are working to ensure safe, affordable, and equitable access to PAT. Manish Agrawal, Lieutenant General Martin R. Steele, USMC (Ret.), Brett Waters, and Ilse Wiechers, MD, MPP, MHS engaged the audience in a deep dive of veteran healthcare and how providers are adapting to address their unmet needs. We also explored the world of pharmaceuticals as Nick Kadysh, Dan Grossman, and Dan Karlin educated the audience on the role of the FDA, on how Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategies (REMS) programs impact rollout, and on perspectives of serving markets outside the US. Daniel Goldberg, Lisa Evia, and Brendan Hussey, Ph.D discussed the increasing role larger biotech investors will play, how there is still a need for investment in the infrastructure for care delivery, and the possibility of novel non-hallucinogenic compounds creating a more viable care model. Along the way we heard the heartfelt stories of Michael Cotton, Justin LaPree, and Keyaira Lock Adewunmi as they shared their healing journeys to illustrate how life changing psychedelic therapy can be for the people who need it. Our panels were expertly moderated by David Schonthal, David Esselman, Daniel Goldberg, and Michael Cotton. The Kellogg MBA student planning team included Ryan Mango, Kasey Katz, Melissa Parks, Akash Roy, Moulshri M., Shea Z., Rohan Garg, Rachel Lowen, Christina Kappil, and Jim Brazeal. We couldn't have done it without the support from the Kellogg Entrepreneurship Department, especially Tyler Seybold, Jennifer Herold, and Sarah Budreck!