CORREA, BERGMAN APPLAUD NEW PSYCHEDELIC PTSD, DEPRESSION TREATMENT STUDIES BY VA
Correa, Bergman Have Long Hailed Benefit of Psychedelics for Treating PTSD and Depression in Veterans, Led Bipartisan Group Pushing for Federal Research
ORANGE COUNTY, Calif. — Today, following the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) issuing a request for applications (RFA) for proposals from its network of VA researchers to study the use of certain psychedelic compounds in treating posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression, Representatives Lou Correa (CA-46) and Jack Bergman (MI-01), co-chairs of the Psychedelics Advancing Therapies (PATH) Caucus, released the below statement:
“To say this moment is monumental would be an understatement. We’ve been fighting for years to push the VA to research the impact of breakthrough therapies, like psychedelics, on the invisible wounds of our country’s most valiant warriors—with the House passing our amendment to do just that last year,” Correa said. “These therapies promise to be one of the largest breakthroughs in mental health treatment in nearly half a century, and, with some reported signs of up to 80% success in treatment, shows a possibility to cure our veterans of their invisible wounds—and be the first step toward tackling our national mental health crisis head-on. I could not be more proud to have been in this fight alongside General Bergman to get to this point, and we won’t stop until these potentially life-saving therapies are accessible to all who would benefit from them.”
Last year, the House of Representatives passed the Correa-Bergman Amendment, which was included in federal funding legislation, to push the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to carry out “large-scale studies” into drugs like psilocybin and MDMA—which have been designated as “breakthrough therapies” by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
“If psychedelic assisted therapy can help treat a servicemember or Veteran’s PTSD, or prevent them from taking their own life, then we owe it to them to take an active role in researching these potentially life-saving therapies,” Bergman said. “I'm grateful for Secretary McDonough’s commitment to making VA a leader in this promising new field of research, and for my friend Lou Correa’s work and leadership to help move this forward. This is the next first step—and I will continue fighting to advance these promising therapies that could save the lives of countless Veterans.”
The Correa-Bergman Amendment amended the Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Appropriations Bill. It encouraged the VA to explore utilizing federal dollars to fund research into the impact of breakthrough therapies, including psychedelics, on veterans who return home from combat with invisible wounds. It passed by unanimous consent, and was included in the final text of the Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Appropriations Bill, which passed out of the House last year. You can find the full text of the amendment HERE.
Correa and Bergman are Co-Chairs of Congressional Psychedelics Advancing Therapies (PATH) Caucus, where they promote rigorous and urgent clinical research into the efficacy of psychedelics in treating brain health conditions, in accordance with the law.
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