Jan 20, 2022
The Petrie Flom Center for Health Law Policy, Biotechnology and Bioethics at Harvard Law School hosted their inaugural Psychedelics Bootcamp as a part of their Project on Psychedelics Law and Regulation (POPLAR) in July 2024.
The POPLAR initiative was launched in 2021 to examine the legal, ethical and social implications of psychedelic research, therapeutics and commerce.
Funded by the Saisei Foundation, POPLAR focuses on promoting safety, innovation and equity in the following key areas:
Ethics in Psychedelics Research, Therapeutics, and Commerce
Challenges at the Intersection of Psychedelics and Intellectual Property Law
Opportunities for Federal Support of Psychedelics Research
Access to Psychedelic Therapies and Equity in Emerging Psychedelic Industries
The Role of Psychedelics in Healing Trauma
The POPLAR Project is overseen by Senior Faculty Director I. Glenn Cohen and Senior Fellow Mason Marks.
In July 2024, The Petrie Flom Center invited 49 industry leaders in the areas of science, education, research, policy, law, entrepreneurship, biotechnology, media, advocacy, spiritual & indigenous communities and federal regulatory agencies to,
“gather together to learn the information and skills necessary to become thought leaders in the field of psychedelics with a nuanced understanding of potential risks and benefits”.
The intensive 3-day training centered around the following topics:
State of the science: Clinical trials and medical research
Federal, state, and local government legal, policy, and regulatory approaches
Indigenous use
Religious use
The pharmaceutical industry, drug regulation, and intellectual property law
Skills training in leadership and negotiation
For 3 days we learned from scientists, clinical researchers, FDA, DEA, attorneys, government officials, indigenous council leaders, clinicians, pharmaceutical investors, entrepreneurs and theologians. We discussed, brainstormed and debated the nuances of public safety, ethics, religious freedom, medical & clinical treatment, drug regulation, bias in research, negotiation, big pharma, disparities of care, reciprocity and its impact on marginalized communities.
But that is not all, prior to attending the 3-day training participants completed Zero-L, an intensive online training course, offered through Havard Law School. The Zero-L course is a course required of all first-year students attending Harvard Law School. The course is designed to help first year students begin the process of how to strategically “Think like a lawyer”.
Participants learned about court systems, how to read cases and understand precedent, how to work with statutes, litigation, law and legal theory.
It was absolutely amazing. I left both trainings with a completely different view, perspective and understanding regarding psychedelics, policy, indigenous reciprocity, federal regulations and western medicine.
This experience helped me to understand the objective of each industry without bias and to see a bigger picture in regard to public safety, ethical practices and policy reform.
As a clinical mental health professional, I am already trained to hear what is not being said and to see beyond the surface. This experience allowed me an opportunity to tap into a deeper level of cognitive processing.
It was extremely refreshing to be among open-minded industry leaders from different backgrounds and perspectives working towards similar goals.
It reminded me of the Blackburn Institute, a leadership development and civic engagement program founded at the University of Alabama in honor of Dr. John L. Blackburn, whose vision was “to develop a community of ethical leaders who collaboratively accomplish good and noble ends” and who are committed to serving as agents of positive change.
I would like to thank the Petrie Flom Center for Health Law Policy, Biotechnology and Bioethics at Harvard Law School for the invitation to participate in this incredible training of world leaders.
I would also like to thank the Gracias Family Foundation for helping to make this happen. Because of their generosity, industry leaders were able to attend from all over the world.
Lastly, I would like to thank I. Glenn Cohen, Susannah Baruch, Mason Marks, Victoria Litman, Laura Chong and Lisa Gorelik for creating a safe space for this forward-thinking agenda.
Like Albert Einstein, "I have no special talents, I am only passionately curious."
for "the future belongs to the curious. the ones who are not afraid to try it, explore it, poke at it, question it and turn it inside out." - unknown
May we all stay curious.
Fanicy Sears, LPC-S, LMFT, NCC
Clinical Director
eMotion Therapy, LLC
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