The Spanish Congress of Deputies hosted on last February 13 a parliamentary session focused on psychedelic-assisted therapies and their possible development in the field of mental health in Spain. The session featured the participation of Dr. Narcís Cardoner, head of the psychiatry department at Hospital de Sant Pau and researcher of the Mental Health group at the Sant Pau Research Institute (IR Sant Pau).
The session, held in the Ernest Lluch Room, brought together researchers, clinical professionals, regulatory experts, and institutional representatives with the aim of analyzing the current state of available scientific evidence. The existing barriers to research in this field, and the regulatory challenges associated with a potential incorporation of these therapies into the healthcare system.
During the presentations, the recent evolution of international clinical trials with psychedelic substances was reviewed, covering indications such as treatment-resistant depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, and certain addictions. Experts emphasized that, while preliminary results are promising in controlled clinical settings, it is essential to consolidate the evidence through rigorous studies with sound methodological designs, strict safety criteria, and medium- and long-term follow-up.
The debate also highlighted the administrative and regulatory difficulties that currently constrain the development of this line of research in Spain. It also highlighted the need to establish clear regulatory frameworks that allow progress to be made with scientific, ethical, and healthcare guarantees. In this regard, issues related to the specialized training of clinical teams, center accreditation requirements, and institutional oversight of therapeutic programs were addressed.
In his presentation, Dr. Cardoner brought the clinical and scientific perspective of the IR Sant Pau Mental Health group, which conducts research in this field from a strictly biomedical and evidence-based approach. His team is the first in Spain to hold an independently funded grant to study the use of psychedelics in mental health, positioning the institute as a key player in the national research landscape.
IR Sant Pau’s participation in this parliamentary hearing reinforces its commitment to rigorous clinical research and to an informed institutional debate on new therapeutic strategies to address mental disorders that continue to represent a major healthcare and social challenge.
