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Advocacy
Promoting and advancing lived experience expertise to improve patient safety, treatment efficacy, and policymaking.
Amplifying lived experience in psychedelic research, treatment, and policy
At Psychedelic Lived Experiences, we advocate for patient and trial participant voices to be recognized as essential expertise in shaping the future of psychedelic treatments.
Too often, those who have actually undergone these treatments are overlooked in favor of institutional, corporate, and clinical or scientific perspectives.
We’re working to change that.
Speaking at conferences and policy meetings
We present at leading psychedelic and mental health conferences, regulatory hearings, and expert panels to ensure patient voices shape key decisions.
- We advocate for patient safety, treatment efficacy, and ethical standards.
- We bring firsthand patient insights into scientific and clinical discussions.
- We engage directly with researchers, clinicians, and policymakers in critical conversations.
Contributing to psychedelic research and training
We integrate patient perspectives into research publications and psychedelic therapy training programs to improve care.
- We develop resources and guidelines for safety, consent, preparation, and aftercare.
- We provide lived experience insights that enhance research and clinical training.
- We bridge the gap between academic knowledge and real-world patient experiences.
Shaping psychedelic policy and standards of care
We work to ensure patient voices are central to psychedelic policy and regulation.
- We push for greater patient representation in regulatory decisions.
- We engage policymakers, agencies, and ethics boards to ensure decisions reflect real patient needs, not just industry interests.
- We advocate for safer, more accessible treatment frameworks with informed consent, long-term follow-up, and harm reduction.
The path forward: our ongoing mission
The psychedelic field is at a critical juncture. As research advances and policies shift, we’re committed to shaping a future that prioritizes patient voices, ethical integrity, and real-world impact by advocating for:
- Lived experience expertise in research, treatment models, and policy decisions.
- Ethical and transparent industry practices that put patient well-being before profit.
- Stronger patient protections in both clinical trials and commercial treatment settings.
- More inclusive research that reflects the diversity of real-world experiences.
- Regulations that ensure both accessibility and accountability in psychedelic care.
By pushing for these changes, we aim to create a safer, more responsible, and patient-centered future for psychedelic treatments.
Our global advocacy work since 2019
We’ve been at the forefront of integrating lived experience into psychedelic research, treatment models, and policy discussions since 2019. Our work includes:
FDA Advisory Committee Meeting on MDMA Approval (U.S.)
On June 4, 2024, our director, Pedram Dara, spoke at the FDA’s Psychopharmacologic Drugs Advisory Committee meeting during its review of MDMA-assisted therapy for PTSD. As a public hearing speaker, he shared insights from his firsthand experience as a Phase 2 clinical trial participant, highlighting both the benefits and limitations of the treatment.
European Parliament Policy Meeting on Psychedelic-Assisted Therapies (Brussels, Belgium)
On December 6, 2022, our director, Pedram Dara, addressed policymakers at the European Parliament’s first policy meeting on psychedelic-assisted therapies. This landmark discussion organized by PAREA explored the future of psychedelic treatments in European healthcare.
Breaking Convention Keynote Presentation (Exeter, England)
On April 22, 2023, Pedram Dara delivered a keynote at Breaking Convention, Europe’s largest psychedelic conference, held at the University of Exeter. He shared insights from his own MDMA therapy experience, four years after participating in a Phase 2 clinical trial in Canada and discussed how to improve patient outcomes. He also joined a panel with renowned policy advocate Amanda Feilding.
ICPR 2022: Interdisciplinary Conference on Psychedelic Research (Haarlem, Netherlands)
On September 22, 2022, Pedram Dara spoke at ICPR 2022, a sold-out international psychedelic science conference. He organized the first-ever panel dedicated to clinical trial participants at a major psychedelic event, sharing the stage with Leonie Schneider and Ian Roullier from PsyPAN.
CBC Radio-Canada Feature on MDMA Therapy (Canada)
On April 15, 2024, Pedram Dara appeared on CBC Radio-Canada’s national science program, Découverte, in a special episode on MDMA-assisted therapy. The segment, available on YouTube with English subtitles, explored the latest research and patient experiences from clinical trials and Canada's Special Access Program.
Lived Experience in Psychedelic Therapy Training (Boston, U.S.)
On April 7, 2024, Pedram Dara joined Rick Doblin, PhD, at a training session organized by the Center for Psychedelic Therapies and Research at the California Institute of Integral Studies (CIIS). Speaking to hundreds of trainees across the West and East Coasts, he shared lived experience insights to help shape a more patient-centered approach to psychedelic therapy.
Lived Experience in MDMA Therapy Training (Canada)
Since February 2024, Pedram Dara has been collaborating with TheraPsil to incorporate lived experience perspectives into their MDMA therapy training for healthcare professionals under the guidance of Ingrid Pacey, MD. Pedram has led several sessions for training cohorts in Vancouver and Ottawa, both in-person and online.
Canadian Psychedelic Summit: The Future of MDMA Therapy (Cortes Island, Canada)
On July 19, 2024, Pedram Dara spoke at the 3rd annual Canadian Psychedelic Summit, hosted by Hollyhock Leadership Institute on Cortes Island, BC. His session focused on the evolving landscape of MDMA therapy in Canada.
MDMA Therapy for Adolescents Special Fundraising Event (Amsterdam, Netherlands)
On April 4, 2023, Pedram Dara joined Rick Doblin, PhD at a high-impact fundraising event organized by Make MDMA Medicine in Amsterdam. The initiative, led by researchers at the University of Amsterdam, aims to launch a pioneering MDMA therapy study for adolescents (ages 16-17) with severe trauma. The event successfully raised hundreds of thousands of euros to fund this groundbreaking research.
Psychedelic Wellness Workshop (Vancouver, Canada)
On February 10, 2024, our director, Pedram Dara, co-led a sold-out psychedelic wellness workshop alongside Houman Farzin, MD. Together, along with other therapists and scientists, they explored how psychedelic treatments can support personal growth and wellness, offering both a clinical and lived experience perspective.
MDMA Therapy for Healing Trauma Workshop (Ibiza, Spain)
From May 15-19, 2022, Pedram Dara collaborated with Tijmen Bostoen, MD, lead psychiatrist for MDMA trials in the Netherlands, to present therapist and patient perspectives to a group of 80 Dutch therapists. This four-day intensive training organized by Benecke a leading Dutch medical education organization provided clinicians with deeper insights into MDMA-assisted therapy from both scientific and lived experience viewpoints.
Mapping the Mind Psychedelic Conference (Toronto, Canada)
On September 10, 2019, Pedram Dara shared his insights as the first MDMA therapy trial participant in Canada outside of BC at Mapping the Mind, Canada's first major psychedelic science conference. He spoke alongside David Nichols, PhD, and Matthew Johnson, PhD, before joining a live panel with Rick Doblin, PhD, and Anne Wagner, PhD to discuss the future of MDMA therapy.
November 21-23, 2025
Psychedelic Lived Experiences Summit
Join a groundbreaking 3-day virtual event on lived experience in psychedelic care. Patients, therapists, and researchers share insights, challenges, and key lessons to improve patient experiences, clinical outcomes, and quality of life.
Get involved
Advocacy is stronger together. If you’re a patient, trial participant, therapist, researcher, or policymaker interested in supporting this work, we’d love to hear from you.
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Together, we can ensure psychedelic research, treatment, and policy evolve responsibly, grounded in lived experience, not just hype.
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