While MDMA and magic mushrooms are primarily known as illegal drugs, the same active substances are processed into medicines in Australia under strict conditions. The Australian broadcaster ABC gained access to a production facility in Brisbane where MDMA and psilocybin are prepared for use in hospitals and specialized clinics.
It concerns the Breathe Life Sciences factory, a company that previously produced primarily medicinal cannabis. It now holds licenses to work with MDMA and psilocybin as well.
From drug to pharmaceutical product
In the factory, MDMA is processed into capsules. Magic mushrooms are also processed to obtain the active substance psilocybin. The substances are subsequently used in psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy.
Security is strict. The factory has various safes, and only selected employees have access to MDMA and psilocybin. Raw materials and finished products are tested multiple times for chemical composition, heavy metals, pesticides, and bacteria, among other things.
These checks are necessary: outside of specifically permitted medical use, MDMA and psilocybin remain strictly regulated substances in Australia.
Australia took the lead
In 2023, Australia became the first country to amend regulations to allow qualified psychiatrists to prescribe MDMA for PTSD and psilocybin for treatment-resistant depression. Therefore, this does not concern free medical availability: treatment takes place under strict conditions.
According to figures provided by the TGA to ABC, at the time of the report, 164 patients outside of clinical trials had received MDMA-assisted therapy and 74 patients psilocybin therapy.
Treatment remains expensive
A major barrier is the price. At a specialized clinic visited by ABC, a full MDMA course costs approximately 30.000 Australian dollars, while a psilocybin course is around 20.000 dollars. Furthermore, experts emphasize that the treatments are not suitable for everyone and that further research remains necessary.
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The images from Brisbane show how quickly psychedelics have evolved in Australia from illegal drugs into strictly controlled pharmaceutical products. At the same time, the sector is still in its early stages: the treatments are expensive, strictly regulated, and the long-term effects are still being investigated.
Source and photo: abc.net
