PSYCHEDELIC SUBSTANCES — PTSD TREATMENT
929. Hon Dr BRIAN WALKER to the minister representing the
Minister for Veterans Issues:
As we prepare to commemorate
Remembrance Day, I refer the minister to Department of Defence figures that
suggest that as many as 8.3 per cent of Australian Defence Force members will
have experienced post-traumatic stress disorder in the last 12 months, as
compared with 5.2 per cent of the Australian community as a whole.
(1) Is the minister aware of recent peer-reviewed
studies, not least by Erwin Krediet and colleagues, published in the International Journal of Neuropsychology
in June 2020, which demonstrate that psychedelic substances can have an
important and substantial moderating effect when it comes to the treatment of
PTSD?
(2) Can the
minister confirm that he is actively working alongside and in conjunction with
his colleagues in both Health and Mental Health to pursue positive outcomes for
both serving and ex-serving members of the ADF here in Western Australia who
suffer from PTSD?
(3) Would the
minister be willing to join me in advocating for at least a limited trial of
psychedelics here in WA as a PTSD treatment, so as to allow the medical
community to move forward with this potentially groundbreaking treatment, in a measured and scientific manner, to the
betterment of our veteran community?
Hon
ALANNAH MacTIERNAN replied:
I thank the
member for the question. The Minister for Veterans Issues has provided the
following answer.
(1)–(3) The
Australian government, through the Department of Veterans' Affairs, is
responsible for mental health support, including medical treatment, for both
serving and ex-serving Australian Defence Force members. The McGowan government
is focused on delivering services to assist current and former Defence Force members to find meaningful employment and
participate fully in the Western Australian community. These initiatives
are aimed at preventing serious mental health issues requiring medical
intervention.