Research shows the benefit of psychedelic drug therapy

By Tony Poland, LegalMatters Staff • Psychedelic drug-assisted therapy is proving to be effective in treating mental health issues but getting insurance provider approval for its use will likely be a challenge for claimants, says Toronto and Markham-area disability lawyer Rupa Karyampudi.

“Research has shown that psychedelic drugs are effective at treating conditions such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, anxiety, chronic pain and substance abuse disorder,” says Karyampudi, a partner at MK Disability Lawyers. “The main obstacle is the lack of understanding and the taboo associated with psychedelics. But the initial research is extremely promising and there is a very low downside, according to studies I have read.

“I honestly believe this is going to be a huge revolution in mental health care,” she tells LegalMattersCanada.ca. “Currently, the types of treatment being used, especially for conditions such as PTSD, anxiety and depression, are not that effective for many people with severe cases. It is almost hit and miss and it can take a great deal of trial and error with different medications, usually with plenty of side effects. Even then, they are only marginally effective.” 

Karyampudi says while the research is encouraging, the insurance industry will likely need to be persuaded to approve the treatment for claimants.

‘Initially, companies are going to be very conservative’

“I believe, initially, companies are going to be very conservative and may want to stand by whatever the traditional kind of treatment has been,” she says. “But once they see how effective it is, I predict they are definitely going to be behind it. 

“This type of therapy can be misunderstood. People do not get high during treatment. They are doing it for therapeutic reasons.”

Researchers experimented with psychedelics in the 1950s and 1960s but “then came the war on drugs,” Karyampudi says.

“It became taboo and there was not that much funding available for research,” she says. “But there has been a resurgence and it is proving to be very effective, especially for people who have severe conditions that are really resistant to any other kind of treatment.”

Advocates for psychedelics say they have their place in therapeutic situations.

“We need to look at a totally different approach to substance use generally,” Dr. Evan Wood, an expert in addictions research and substance abuse told Global News. “We probably knew in the 1960s or 1970s that this was an area of medicine that could potentially lead to transformative change and benefit to people struggling with currently intractable mental disorders. 

“It’s an open secret in medicine that most of the treatments that we have (for mental health) aren’t particularly effective,” he added.

Study shows promise in treating PTSD

Karyampudi points to a study on psychedelic drug-assisted therapy and PTSD that demonstrated “clinically significant improvement” in participants.

“Research has shown that this therapy basically increases neuroplasticity in the brain,” she says. “People can get stuck in certain neural pathways that hinders their recovery. They are stuck in a certain set of beliefs, or way of thinking. Psychedelics change the neural plasticity, removing that way of thinking.” 

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However, Karyampudi says studies show drugs alone are not enough. Researchers say what is important “is the relationship between the drug and the therapy.”

“I would caution people that this is something they cannot do on their own. People should not be forgoing their traditional medical treatment. This should be a supplement to their regular medical treatment,” she says. “Psychedelics are not a panacea. Their use has to be in conjunction with psychotherapy. It is important to follow the rest of your treatment plan from your doctor.”

Karyampudi says one challenge will be finding clinicians who have expertise in the treatment.

‘It can be difficult for people to get their doctors onboard’

“It can be difficult for people to get their doctors onboard with this concept because even in the medical profession, it is such cutting-edge medicine that not too many know about it. This is still relatively new, so there isn’t a lot of knowledge about it from doctors. That makes it a little bit difficult because they do need to be educated and trained,” she says. “Of course, it is important not to self-treat or go with someone who’s not properly trained if you are applying for insurance benefits. Insurers can rule that it is not the appropriate treatment and deny the claim.” 

There has been some development in terms of regulations and the law, she says, with Health Canada last month making amendments to the Special Access Program to allow for the potential use of psychedelic drugs.

“Basically, a clinician can apply for approval to use this type of therapy in emergency situations where conventional treatments have failed,” Karyampudi says. “However, there is such a backlog and very few individuals and organizations have been approved so far.”

She says her firm has seen people who have struggled with mental health issues for years.

“They have tried everything and I can understand why they would be desperate,” says Karyampudi. “The challenge is going to be finding the clinician that has the expertise and government approval. There is probably going to be a long wait list to get in.”

Finding effective treatment is crucial

With the “shadow pandemic of mental health issues” brought on by COVID-19, she says finding effective treatment is crucial.

“There will be repercussions for years to come on the economy and insurance claims so insurers should be supportive of things such as psychedelic drug-assisted therapy,” Karyampudi says. “As more and more research is conducted, hopefully there will be more awareness.”

She says for an insurance company to consider such treatment as appropriate “it will have to be done by a trained clinician in a trained setting.”

And while the insurance policy will dictate the appropriate treatment, people who want to seek psychedelic drug-assisted therapy should not be put off if the insurer is resistant, says Karyampudi. 

“While the insurer sets policy conditions, ultimately if there is litigation it will be up to the court to decide,” she says. “However, I could see insurers eventually promoting this type of treatment because if it is effective, it gets people off of a claim.

“I would encourage my clients to talk to their doctors about it. If it is an extreme case, they may be able to get approval from Health Canada. I am really hoping this is something that will be more widely available soon.”

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