The first patients in NSW have begun receiving psychedelic-assisted therapy (PAT). The patient cohort includes: a father who lost son in the Hunter Valley bus crash, an Indigenous woman suffering trans-generational, family of origin, and relational trauma, and a man who was savagely bullied as a child at an elite private school.
Adam Bray, the father of Zach Bray, one of 10 wedding guests killed in the Hunter Valley bus crash on June 11, 2023, has received a dose of MDMA as part of medically enhanced psychotherapy for PTSD. This follows the TGA's decision to allow authorised psychiatrists to prescribe MDMA and psilocybin for certain mental health conditions from July 1, 2023, with MDMA specifically approved for treating PTSD.
“It puts you in a state of euphoria. You do feel like you access so much stuff, it’s a huge relief. It’s incredible,” said Bray when opening up about the treatment in a video posted by the Daily Telegraph,
However, when comparing into to recreational / “party” use, Bray said, “There’s no comparison, the way it’s handled professionally in a hospital environment. I’m at Northern Beaches hospital in a comfortable, special room. The administration process to get through to this trial is extensive.”
The PAT program is run by Evolution Medicine Enhanced Therapy clinic in Northern Beaches Hospital, NSW. The programs’ directors and lead investigators are Dr Ranil Gunewardene and Dr Bernadette Bywater.
Professor Ranil Gunewardene has set up and has been the Director of Mental Health Services at Northern Beaches Hospital since its inception. Professor Gunewardene told The Medical Republic that Evolution MET was the only credentialled operator on the TGA’s authorised prescriber scheme so far in the state of NSW, with three others in Victoria. Dr Bywater has completed additional training in psychedelic-assisted therapy including the use of MDMA and Psilocybin. She sits as a Committee member on the Australian Psychological Society Special Interest Group for Psychedelic Therapy.
“You feel many emotions while you’re experiencing this thing, but you’re in a state of compassion and understanding and wisdom. The analogy I use is that it’s a little bit like the Dalai Lama revisiting your life story instead of you, and the hope is that the story gets rewritten with different beliefs and perspectives, as opposed to the vulnerable child experiencing these terrible things,” said Professor Gunewardene.
The PAT program is private and incurs patient fees of approximately $18,000 for 3 cycles of treatment or $14,000 for 2 cycles of treatment depending on the program the team believes you will require. “People ask why it’s expensive,” said Professor Gunewardene, “Per hour, you’re getting treated for less than normal private practice rates, but it adds up when you have that many hours of therapy.”
Brett Andrew Button, the driver of the bus that killed 10 and injured 25, is currently waiting for sentencing. Button has pleaded guilty to 35 offences including 10 counts of dangerous driving occasioning death, however, has had ten counts of manslaughter dropped, angering many.
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