President Biden’s Brother Praises his Open-mindedness towards Psychedelics in Medical Treatment

President Joe Biden’s younger brother recently shared in a radio interview that the president has been receptive and open-minded when discussing the potential benefits of psychedelics as a form of medical treatment.

During his call with The Michael Smerconish Program on SiriusXM, Frank Biden expressed his brother’s open-mindedness and their conversations on the subject. When asked about their discussions, Frank Biden stated, “He is very open-minded. Put it that way. I don’t want to speak… I’m talking brother-to-brother. Brother-to-brother,” emphasizing the personal nature of their conversations. He further emphasized the importance of expanding consciousness to address addiction issues and promote unity among people.

Frank Biden also shared that he has extensively researched the topic due to his personal experience as a recovering alcoholic for many years.

The White House did not provide a comment in response to the matter.

While some researchers suggest that psychedelics, such as psilocybin found in mushrooms, can positively impact conditions like depression, alcoholism, and post-traumatic stress disorder, medical experts caution that further research is necessary to determine their efficacy and associated risks, including hallucinations.

The American Psychiatric Association has not endorsed the use of psychedelics in treatment, as the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has yet to make a final determination. However, the FDA recognized psilocybin as a “breakthrough therapy” in 2018, expediting the development and review process for drugs targeting serious conditions. Similarly, MDMA, commonly known as ecstasy, also holds this designation for PTSD treatment.

Recently, the FDA released draft guidance for researchers designing clinical trials to explore the potential therapeutic uses of psychedelic drugs for various medical conditions. The Biden administration has allocated funding to the National Institutes of Health and other agencies for numerous projects investigating the mental and behavioral health benefits of psychedelics.

Earlier this year, Oregon became the first state in the US to legalize the adult use of psilocybin, while Colorado decriminalized it through a voter initiative last year. Some Republican strongholds, like Utah and Missouri, have also considered studying psychedelics, influenced in part by veterans who have found relief from PTSD through psilocybin.

At a recent conference in Colorado, former Texas Republican Governor Rick Perry advocated for a bill in the Texas legislature to fund a psilocybin study for veterans. However, it is important to note that Perry does not support recreational use of psychedelics.

In an unexpected alignment, progressive Democratic Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez from New York and far-right Representative Matt Gaetz from Florida have both shown support for proposals related to psychedelic research focused on veterans.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about psychedelics in medical treatment

More about psychedelics in medical treatment

• Wall Street Journal article on psychedelics and business breakthroughs
• FDA’s designation of psilocybin as a breakthrough therapy
• FDA’s designation of MDMA as a breakthrough therapy for PTSD
• Draft guidance from the FDA on clinical trials for psychedelic drugs
• Oregon’s legalization of adult use of psilocybin
• Colorado’s decriminalization of psilocybin through voter initiative
• Example of Rick Perry’s advocacy for psilocybin study for veterans
• American Psychiatric Association’s stance on psychedelics in treatment
• National Institutes of Health funding for psychedelic research
• Example of veterans’ positive experiences with psilocybin for PTSD
• Information on clinical trials and research for psychedelics