The Feilding Commission

LONDON — A new independent investigational body, the Feilding Commission, has been launched today to guide the safe, ethical, and equitable rollout of psychedelic-assisted treatments (PAT) in the UK. Charlotte Nichols MP, who chairs the Centre for Evidence-Based Drug Policy (CEBDP), will lead the Commission, which is tasked with setting foundational policy and regulatory direction for integrating these novel therapies into the UK’s mental health care system.

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Early clinical studies in the UK and overseas are demonstrating the potential of psilocybin and other psychedelics in the treatment of depression, PTSD, addiction and end-of-life care. Anticipating that treatments are likely to receive market authorisation over the next few years, the Feilding Commission responds to this pivotal opportunity to prevent a regulatory vacuum and ensure high standards of care and equitable access.

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Following two years of consultations and a landmark meeting at the House of Commons, the Commission has identified an urgent need for pre-emptive regulation. Without this, the UK risks the creation of a two-tiered system where only those who can afford private treatment can access PAT, while NHS patients wait for infrastructure to catch up.

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The Feilding Commission is named in honour of the late Amanda Feilding, whose ground-breaking work laid the foundations of the modern field. The Commission will bring together leading voices in psychiatry, psychotherapy, law, and ethics from institutions including King’s College London, Imperial College London, and the British Psychological Society.

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The core responsibilities include developing safety and practice frameworks, establishing standards for therapeutic environments, and designing real-world evidence infrastructure—including a national data registry to track outcomes and alignment with NICE standards for early access schemes.