Psychedelic Medicine Task Force

Task force members will include:

• The governor or a designee
• Two members of the house of representatives, one appointed by the speaker of the house and one appointed by the minority leader of the house of representatives, and two members of the senate, one appointed by the senate majority leader and one appointed by the senate minority leader
• The commissioner of health or a designee
• The commissioner of public safety or a designee
• The commissioner of human services or a designee
• The attorney general or a designee
• The executive director of the Board of Pharmacy or a designee
• The commissioner of commerce or a designee
• Members of the public, appointed by the governor, who have relevant knowledge and expertise, including:
  • Two members representing Indian Tribes within the boundaries of Minnesota, one representing the Ojibwe Tribes and one representing the Dakota Tribes
  • One member with expertise in the treatment of substance use disorders
  • One member with experience working in public health policy
  • Two veterans with treatment-resistant mental health conditions
  • Two patients with treatment-resistant mental health conditions
  • One psychiatrist with experience treating treatment-resistant mental health conditions, including post-traumatic stress disorder
  • One health care practitioner with experience in integrative medicine
  • One psychologist with experience treating treatment-resistant mental health conditions, including post-traumatic stress disorder
  • One member with demonstrable experience in the medical use of psychedelic medicine

The task force shall:

• Survey existing studies in the scientific literature on the therapeutic efficacy of psychedelic medicine in the treatment of mental health conditions, including depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, bipolar disorder, and any other mental health conditions and medical conditions for which a psychedelic medicine may provide an effective treatment option
• Compare the efficacy of psychedelic medicine in treating the above conditions with the efficacy of treatments currently used for these conditions
• Develop a comprehensive plan that covers:
  • Statutory changes necessary for the legalization of psychedelic medicine
  • State and local regulation of psychedelic medicine
  • Federal law, policy, and regulation of psychedelic medicine, with a focus on retaining state autonomy to act without conflicting with federal law, including methods to resolve conflicts such as seeking an administrative exemption to the federal Controlled Substances Act under United States Code, title 21, section 822(d), and Code of Federal Regulations, title 21, part 1307.03; seeking a judicially created exemption to the federal Controlled Substances Act; petitioning the United States Attorney General to establish a research program under United States Code, title 21, section 872(e); using the Food and Drug Administration's expanded access program; and using authority under the federal Right to Try Act
  • Education of the public on recommendations made to the legislature and others about necessary and appropriate actions related to the legalization of psychedelic medicine in the state.

Nov. 6, 2023

• November Agenda (PDF)
• Draft Psychedelic Medicine Task Force Charter (PDF)
• November Meeting Slides (PDF)
• November Meeting Summary (PDF)

Dec. 4, 2023 

• December Agenda (PDF)
• Draft Task Force Charter V2 (PDF)
• December Meeting Slides (PDF)
• Draft Scientific Research Methods (PDF)
• December Meeting Summary (PDF)

Jan. 8, 2023 

• January Agenda (PDF)
• January Meeting Slides (PDF)
• Draft Task Force Charter V3 (PDF)
• January Meeting Summary (PDF)

Feb. 5, 2024

• February Agenda (PDF)
• February Meeting Slides (PDF)
• Task Force Charter V4 (Word)
• February Meeting Summary (PDF)

March 5, 2024

• March Agenda (PDF)
• March Meeting Slides (PDF)
• March Meeting Summary (PDF)

April 1, 2024

• April Agenda (PDF)
• April Meeting Slides (PDF)
• April Meeting Summary (PDF)
• LSD Literature Overview (PDF)

May 6, 2024

• May Agenda (PDF)
• May Meeting Slides (PDF)
• Legal Work Group Update (PDF)
• Draft Task Force Chairperson's Role (PDF)
• Draft Task Force Vice Chairperson's Role (PDF)
• May Meeting Summary (PDF)
• Psilocybin Literature Overview (PDF)

June 3, 2024

• June Agenda (PDF)
• June Meeting Slides (PDF)
• MDMA Literature Overview (PDF)
• June Meeting Summary (PDF)

July 1, 2024

• July Agenda (PDF)
• July Meeting Slides (PDF)
• July Meeting Summary (PDF)

Aug. 5, 2024

• August Agenda (PDF)
• August Meeting Slides (PDF)
• Community Research and Population Statistics Summary (PDF)
• Psychedelic Medicine Task Force Initial Draft Report Notes (PDF)
• Psychedelic Medicine Task Force Recommendations Development (PDF)
• August Meeting Summary (PDF)

Sept. 9, 2024

• September Agenda (PDF)
• September Meeting Slides (PDF)
• Phase II MDMA Trials (PDF)
• Psychedelic Medicine Task Force Final Report Outline
• September Meeting Summary (PDF)

Oct. 7, 2024

• October Agenda (PDF)
• October Meeting Slides (PDF)
• October Meeting Summary (PDF)

Nov. 4, 2024

• November Agenda (PDF)
• November Meeting Slides (PDF)

Psilocybin

Psilocybin is a naturally occurring substance found in certain species of fungi (“magic mushrooms”). On its own the compound is inactive, but through metabolism becomes the psychoactive psilocin. Psilocin has a chemical structure similar to the neurotransmitter serotonin and binds to serotonin (and other) receptors in the brain. Psilocybin has a long history of use in many Indigenous cultures due to its potential to induce altered states of consciousness and elicit spiritual experiences. Recent clinical studies have investigated psilocybin-assisted therapy as a potential treatment for a number of health conditions, including major depressive disorder, treatment-resistant depression, anxiety, alcohol use disorder, and others. Between 2018 and 2019 the FDA awarded Breakthrough Therapy designation to psilocybin for both major depressive disorder and treatment-resistant depression. A number of phase II clinical trials have yielded positive results in the treatment of these conditions.

However, there are a number of limitations with these studies, both common to all clinical trials and specific to psychedelic trials (see "Overall limitations of the research" section for detailed explanation). First, the sample size of each study was relatively small, and those within the trials did not have any other underlying health conditions nor were they allowed to take certain other medications, making it difficult to draw conclusions to a wider population. Due to the nature of psilocybin, it was difficult to create a condition in which the participant did not know they had received the drug (functional unblinding). Attempts to counter this focused on giving participants a small dose of the drug, but this results in the lack of a true placebo group with which to compare results. Therefore, more research surrounding psilocybin is necessary to draw conclusions about its efficacy.

MDMA

MDMA (3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine) is a synthetic drug that in recent years has shown therapeutic potential for the treatment of certain mental health conditions, particularly post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), but also anxiety disorders associated with other conditions. Treatment with MDMA typically involves s concurrent intense therapeutic component, and certain studies have focused specifically on treating veterans and first -responders suffering from moderate-to-severe PTSD. In 2017 the FDA granted Breakthrough Therapy designation to MDMA-assisted therapy for the treatment of PTSD, and two phase III clinical trials were submitted to the FDA as a potential new drug. While the initial results from these trials reported promising results, in August 2024 the FDA declined to approve the drug, but rather requested an additional clinical trial addressing safety data.

Similar to the other psychedelic drugs, limitations common to all clinical trials and specific to psychedelics occurred in the studies (see "Overall limitations of the research" section for details). Between these trials the total sample size was relatively small and excluded those with certain other conditions and taking specific medications. Functional unblinding was reported to be very high; between the two trials 94% of participants correctly guessed that they had received the drug. Additionally, within these trials nearly 40% of participants reported past use of MDMA, which may also have an effect on the results. Overall, more data on both the efficacy of treatment and the effects of the drug on the body and brain are necessary to draw conclusions on MDMA-assisted therapy as a treatment option.

LSD

LSD (lysergic acid diethylamide) is a synthetic hallucinogen that is most well-known for its mind-altering effects and association with the 1960s counterculture. Recently the drug has been investigated as a treatment for anxiety--including generalized anxiety disorder and anxiety that surrounds life-threatening illnesses. LSD has been clinically tested both with and without a therapeutic component, and results are generally positive in alleviating symptoms of anxiety.

However, there have been fewer clinical studies testing LSD than there have been with either psilocybin or MDMA, limiting the conclusions that can be drawn regarding efficacy. Additionally, studies on LSD are subject to the same limitations of all clinical trials and those for psychedelics specifically (see "Overall limitations of the research" for details). The total sample size of participants included between all the trials is relatively small, and excluded those with comorbid mental or other health conditions. Like with MDMA, functional unblinding within the studies was high, and some studies used a low dose of the drug in place of a true placebo, potentially limiting conclusions on efficacy. Like with the other drugs, more clinical trials in the coming years will be necessary to understand any therapeutic efficacy of LSD.