Trump-backed plan could fast-track psychedelic therapies — here’s what to know

President Trump holds a signed executive order in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, D.C., on April 18, 2026.The order aims to expedite research and access to psychedelics used outside the U.S.to treat post-traumatic stress disorder.(Allison Robbert/The Washington Post/Bloomberg)

Siegel emphasized, however, thatthese therapiesneed to be further researched, and that doses and exact indications must be carefully determined.

Juliana Mercer, a 16-yearMarine Corps veteranand the executive director of Healing Breakthrough, a San Diego-based nonprofit dedicated to advancing MDMA-assisted therapy for veterans with PTSD, applauded the president’s move as a “meaningful step.”

“The psychiatric impact of psychedelics can be useful to change perception in a positive way.”

“The people who need this most are those who have already tried everything and found no real relief,�

“I think aboutveterans I served with, people who have done years of therapy, cycled through medications, and are still carrying the weight of their service.Too many are still losing that fight at home.”

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Risks and caveats

Kevin A.Sabet, Ph.D., president and CEO of the Foundation for Drug Policy Solutions in Washington, D.C., expressed concerns about the executive order.

“While we support rigorous research fortreatment discovery, President Trump’s executive order on ibogaine puts politics and hype ahead of science by suggesting that a dangerous, unapproved hallucinogen can somehow be a medical treatment,� 

risk of psychosisand other anxiety disorders,” he added.

A man walks past FunGuyz, a Canadian magic mushroom business, in downtown Ottawa, Ontario, on March 8, 2025.Psychedelics, psychoactive compounds that act largely through serotonin pathways, are being studied in controlled clinical settings for mental health treatment, experts say.(Artur Widak/NurPhoto)

Kopelman noted that the primary risk of ibogaine is its “cardiotoxicity properties.”

“It can prolong the QT interval in the heartbeat, which can lead to arrhythmia or even heart attack,“rigorous medical examinations” and monitoring during treatment.

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Mercer agreed that these treatments aren’t appropriate for everyone.

“They can have significantpsychological effectsand, in some cases, physiological risks, which is why they should only be administered in controlled clinical settings by trained providers,�

“It’s not like prescribing someone a Tylenol and sending them home — these medicines require medical oversight.”

“Veterans and others will still be waiting unless we also build the systems to provide this safely at scale, trained providers, reimbursement pathways andclinical care models,” she said.“This is the gap we’ve been highlighting for years, and it still needs to be closed.”

Kopelman agreed that while the legislation paves a path for expedited study of these medications, it’s important to “do it the right way,” warning that “one misstep could overturn and sink this entire effort.”

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“Most important is the post-medicine integration work that requires multiple therapy sessions overseen by a trauma-informed psychedelic therapist,�“It’s not likeprescribing someone a Tylenoland sending them home — these medicines require medical oversight.”

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“Psychedelics are not a panacea,” Kopelman added.“They are a gateway to healing — but the real work begins after treatment.”

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