Trump signs order fast tracking review of psychedelics for mental health disorders

Politics Trump signs order fast tracking review of psychedelics for mental health disorders April 18, 20262:56 PM ET Mandalit del Barco President Donald Trump holds up a signed executive order in the Oval Office of the White House on Saturday in Washington. Julia Demaree Nikhinson/AP hide caption toggle caption Julia Demaree Nikhinson/AP President Trump has signed an executive order to make certain psychedelic drugs more available to treat mental health conditions, such as depression and anxiety. He directed $50 million in federal funds to make them more accessible, and ordered the Food and Drug Administration to fast track a review of such drugs as psilocybin and ibogaine. The Sunday Story Can Psychedelic Therapy Go Mainstream? "Can I have some, please?" Trump joked to a laughing audience in the Oval Office. He was joined by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Dr. Mehmet Oz, the administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Also standing in back of Trump was former Navy SEAL Marcus Luttrell, whose memoir about a deadly mission in Afghanistan was the basis of the film Lone Survivor, and podcast host Joe Rogan. During the announcement, Rogan said he had texted Trump about ibogaine and the president responded, "Sounds great. Do you want FDA approval? Let's do it." Sponsor Message And Luttrell told him, "You're going to save a lot of lives through it. It absolutely changed my life for the better." Next week, the FDA will issue national priority vouchers to three psychedelics, which the agency's commissioner, Mary Makary, said will allow the review of those drugs to be approved quickly – perhaps in just weeks. This is the first time the FDA has offered to fast-track any psychedelics. During the ceremony, the president framed psychedelics as a way to deal with a national mental health crisis that includes suicide. "Today, over 14 million American adults have a serious mental illness, defined as having a diagnosable mental, behavi...