Description
Psychedelic therapy has the potential to revolutionize mental disorder treatments. Yet it also raises questions about the position of the patients who are (potentially) undergoing the treatment, especially when considered in light of their human right to mental health as recognised in international human rights law. Questions arise regarding equitable access to these therapies, including who will be prioritised and on what grounds, and how disparities in healthcare systems may affect availability, accessibility, acceptability, and quality of care.
In addition, patients undergoing the treatment find themselves in a very vulnerable position due to the intensity of the therapeutic experience, requiring heightened scrutiny of consent, autonomy, safety, and long-term follow-up, as well as robust safeguards against exploitation, discrimination, and harm. Currently, there is a legal vacuum concerning these questions, raising questions about how emerging therapies can both advance and challenge existing human rights standards.
The objectives of this DC project are to examine the broader societal and legal landscape around responsible psychedelic use. It aims to map the major societal challenges associated with psychedelic use and to identify solutions for societally acceptable implementation. International, European and domestic legal challenges and opportunities for the implementation of psychedelic therapy will be analysed, while identifying patient and consumer’s rights to responsible psychedelic use – with particular attention to the human right to mental health.
The expected results of this DC project are to gain fresh perspectives on societal challenges and solutions for the acceptance and integration of psychedelic use; gain a clear understanding of the legal and ethical frameworks surrounding psychedelics, along with ways to navigate legal barriers; and gain a comprehensive review of national and transnational legal arguments around the medical use of psychedelics, including their implications for the right to mental health.
Location
Groningen Centre for Health Law, University of Groningen Faculty of Law (Groningen, the Netherlands)
Supervisors
Prof. Brigit Toebes is professor of health law in a global context at the Groningen Centre for Health Law, University of Groningen Faculty of Law. Her work in health is grounded in international human rights law. She was chair of the Dutch state committee on MDMA.
Dr. Natalie Abrokwa wrote a PhD on the right to mental health at the Faculty of Law of the University of Groningen, under supervision of Prof. Toebes. She is an expert on human rights and patient rights in the context of mental health concerns. She is affiliated with the Groningen Centre for Health Law and a returning lecturer in its courses.
Secondments
Institute: Leiden University (Leiden, The Netherlands)
Supervisors: Dr. Michiel van Elk
Purpose: To understand the practical realities of patient settings.
Institute (subject to confirmation*): Psychedelic Access and Research European Alliance (PAREA) (Brussels, Belgium)
Supervisors: Mr. Tadeusz Hawrot
Purpose: To understand political perspectives and European stakeholder perspectives.
*Placeholder institute: University Medical Center Groningen (Groningen, The Netherlands)
Institute: MIND (Amsterdam, The Netherlands)
Supervisors: Dr. Monique van der Eijnden
Purpose: To understand patient perspectives on the acceptability of psychedelic therapy.
General eligibility criteria
- The position is open to candidates of any nationality (European and non-European) who fulfil the requirements set for the Doctoral Candidates (DCs) funded by Marie Skłodowska-Curie actions.
- Applicants must hold a Master’s degree in a relevant academic field, allowing enrolment in a PhD program at the hiring beneficiary.
- Applicants must not previously have been awarded a PhD degree.
- Applicants must not have resided or carried out their main activity (work, studies, etc.) in the country in which the DC project for which they are applying is based for more than 12 months in the 3 years prior to recruitment. This excludes short stays such as holidays, compulsory national service or time spent as part of a procedure for obtaining refugee status under the Geneva Convention.
- Applicants must be willing to undertake secondments at another institute of the network during the DC project, including at institutes in other countries.
- Applicants must be able to demonstrate their ability to understand and express themselves in both written and spoken English at a level that is sufficiently high to fully benefit from the network training (C1/C2 level).
- Applicants are expected to be motivated to work in the field of psychedelic therapy.
- Applicants are expected to work independently, well-structured and collaboratively in a multidisciplinary consortium.