BehaviourWorks Australia, Monash Sustainable Development Institute, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; Neuromedicines Discovery Centre, Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia;
BehaviourWorks Australia, Monash Sustainable Development Institute, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; Neuromedicines Discovery Centre, Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
Public Health Res Pract. 2023 Sep 13;33(3):3332321. doi: 10.17061/phrpp3332321.
This study was aimed at understanding the attitudes and positions of key Australian organisational and political stakeholders towards using psychedelic agents in medically supervised environments to treat mental health conditions. Specifically, this research was designed to identify some of the issues that might impede the clinical implementation of psychedelics.
Semi-structured interviews were conducted with four Australian politicians and nine representatives of key stakeholder organisations between September 2022 and January 2023. Data analyses were completed using pattern-based inductive thematic analysis.
Participants were cautiously optimistic about using psychedelics to treat mental health conditions, with hesitancy emerging due to the perceived inadequacy of research into the efficacy and feasibility of these treatments. Politicians consistently mentioned that negative stigma prevented them and their peers from supporting the use of psychedelics in Australia. Effective, evidence-based, clear messaging that refutes misconceptions, uses persuasive messaging and provides clear information to inform implementation is needed to improve knowledge and challenge attitudes, biases and emotions that can influence the debate around psychedelics.
Stakeholder representatives and politicians agree that insufficient evidence exists to support the widespread clinical implementation of psychedelics in Australia. Politicians also perceive the stigma associated with psychedelics might negatively influence progressive legislation. Additional research and a clear presentation of this research are needed before the clinical use of psychedelics can be supported.
本研究旨在了解澳大利亚主要组织和政治利益相关者对在医学监督环境中使用迷幻剂治疗精神健康状况的态度和立场。具体而言，这项研究旨在确定一些可能阻碍迷幻剂临床实施的问题。
2022 年 9 月至 2023 年 1 月期间，对 4 名澳大利亚政治家和 9 名主要利益相关者组织的代表进行了半结构化访谈。使用基于模式的归纳主题分析完成数据分析。
参与者对使用迷幻剂治疗精神健康状况持谨慎乐观态度，但由于对这些治疗方法的疗效和可行性的研究不足，因此犹豫不决。政治家们一致表示，负面的污名将阻止他们和他们的同行在澳大利亚支持使用迷幻剂。需要有效的、基于证据的、清晰的信息，以反驳误解、使用有说服力的信息并提供明确的信息来为实施提供依据，以提高知识水平并挑战可能影响迷幻剂辩论的态度、偏见和情绪。
利益相关者代表和政治家一致认为，澳大利亚不存在支持迷幻剂广泛临床实施的充分证据。政治家们还认为迷幻剂相关的污名将对进步立法产生负面影响。在支持迷幻剂的临床使用之前，需要进行更多的研究和清楚地展示这项研究。
