Members of Parliament are still optimistic about the medical and therapeutic use of psychedelics, such as MDMA and ketamine. On Thursday during a conversation with experts in the House of Representatives, they reacted surprised and positive to the discussed studies and treatments.
“I have to get off my chest: I find this extremely interesting,” says VVD MP Bart Smals halfway through the talks.
A striking outpouring, because Smals was present as chairman at the round table discussion, he does not participate in it. “I also say this with my background as a pharmacist”, he therefore added.
On Thursday, on the initiative of D66, the House was informed about the medical and therapeutic use of psychedelics, such as MDMA (the active ingredient in ecstasy) and ketamine.
The MPs themselves also reacted positively. “Very interesting”, said a spirited Liane den Haan. PvdA MP Mohammed Mohandis: “A world of new insights opens up to me.”
‘Unknown makes a little scary’
“It is very important to take this further,” tweeted Corinne Ellemeet of GroenLinks afterwards. “It can help many people with severe physical and mental complaints.” Also from the questions of PVV’er Vicky Maeijer it sounded that she was positively surprised.
“I think that we as a Chamber were surprised,” said D66 MP Joost Sneller after the conversation. It is still an unexplored area for politics. That is not surprising, because a lot of scientific research is still being done.
“Unknown makes unloved. Or maybe it is: unknown makes a little scary,” says Sneller. He suspects that many people associate the use of psychedelics as a medical treatment with the use of LSD in the 1960s. “I hope we transcend political differences to reduce human suffering.”
‘People are desperate for treatment’
Without exception, the experts were positive about the initial results of various studies.
Eric Vermetten, professor of psychiatry in Leiden, says there is a “huge need” to innovate and improve the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). This is the case with the treatment methods with MDMA, which he is researching. “Patients really do improve,” Vermetten says.
He calls the drug a “safe and pleasant” remedy, provided it is used properly with trained therapists. Vermetten does note that there is still a hint of cold feet around the medical use of MDMA. “A new branding of MDMA as a drug is needed.”
Robert Schoevers, professor of psychiatry in Groningen, argues for a broad study into the effect of psychedelics to help the sickest group. These are people who suffer from depression, PTSD, chronic pain, addiction or an eating disorder.
“The group with depression alone that we cannot help consists of 40,000 to 50,000 people,” says Schoevers. It usually takes years before a drug or treatment is approved. “Meanwhile, people are desperate for treatment. The risk of incidents where things go wrong is growing.”
Schoevers thinks he will need 200 million euros for this research. Universities or other institutions don’t have that money, so he turns to politics.
“That’s the world upside down, isn’t it?”
Jolien Veraart, psychiatrist and PhD candidate at the University of Groningen, is conducting research into the use of ketamine as an antidepressant. About 20 to 30 percent of people with depression do not recover from this, says Veraart.
Of the two hundred patients she treats with ketamine, 40 percent say they want to continue. “Patients who stop often relapse,” says Veraart.
She hopes that the government will take control of the further development of these medicines. “This is not yet a registered drug, so it is not always reimbursed. That is a huge problem,” says Veraart. The nasal spray with ketamine and the treatment cost about 10,000 euros per patient per year. Health insurers now determine which institutions may use the drug.
According to Veraart, that is where it goes wrong, because according to her this method is not efficient. “That’s the world upside down, isn’t it?” said Member of Parliament Haan in surprise. Veraart nodded in agreement.