WBUR Podcasts, Boston.

A patient who is very, very sick and really has not responded to anything else,

may under approval in specific cases and with supervision be allowed to try some of these medications.

The FDA is expediting reviews of some psychedelics, which could be a game changer for people

to access necessary treatment.

It's Tuesday, May 5th, and this is here and now anytime from NPR and WBOR, Boston.

I'm Shiko Thin-Lu-U-R. Today on the show, best-selling author Michael Pollan has been helping us rethink what we eat.

Now he's encouraging us to rethink how we think.

How deep in nature does sentience, which is a kind of very simple form of consciousness. How far does it go?

But first, the FDA says it will offer ultra-fast review to two psychedelic drugs,

psilocybin and methadone, and the FDA has authorized initial testing of a drug related to ibogaine

for people with alcohol use disorder. This follows a White House executive order, directing the

FDA to speed up research on psychedelics, which right now are illegal under federal law.

Dr. Gail Salts is a clinical associate professor of psychiatry at Weil Cornell Medical College.

She also hosts the podcast, How Can I Help? Here's her conversation with Scott Tong.

So this FDA announcement of these expedited reviews of psychedelic drug products, what does it mean?

It means basically that we can hope for somewhat fast-tracked FDA reviews of these drugs,

when a drug company or, you know, a group

that has done clinical trials with one of these medications is ready to do that.

So instead of waiting closer to 10 months, it might be more like two months for these

particular breakthrough therapies.

And it also means funding.

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