On May 11th, 2023, Arizona’s Governor signed Senate Bill 1720 into law, setting forth state funding of psilocybin research in the Copper State. Rather than enact a standalone psychedelics bill such as House Bill 2486, the Governor and state lawmakers agreed to incorporate the proposal into a general appropriations bill. Although it set a lower funding level compared to the original measure – which allotted $30 Million in state funding, the bill along with a related health-focused budget measure swiftly passed the Senate and the House, to be signed by the Governor.
Under the approved budget legislation, the Arizona Department of Health Services (“ADHS”) will distribute $5 Million dollars during the 2023-2024 fiscal year to fund phase one (1), phase two (2), and/or phase three (3) clinical trials researching psilocybin’s effects on various conditions, disorders, or illnesses. Such conditions, disorders, or illness includes, but is not limited to, post-traumatic stress disorder (“PTSD”), depression, chronic pain, autoimmune disorders, and anxiety disorders. Clinical trials funded pursuant to Senate Bills 1720 and 1726 must be capable of approval by the United States Food and Drug Administration (“FDA”) and authorization by the United States Drug Enforcement Administration through certification of Schedule I Research of Psilocybin. Moreover, those selected shall prioritize not only using whole mushroom psilocybin cultivated under a Schedule I license for research issued by the DEA, but also prioritize using veterans, first responders, frontline health care workers, and persons from underserved communities as the research subjects.
Further, under the implementation of Senate Bills 1720 and 1726, a Psilocybin Research Advisory Council (“Council”) was established under the ADHS. Pursuant to Senate Bill 1726, the Council must consist of one physician with a federal license to psychedelics, one military veteran, one law enforcement officer, and one professor or researcher from a university under the jurisdiction of the Arizona Board of Regents, who specializes in clinical research or psychedelic studies. On November 28th, 2023, the Council held its first public meeting to discuss the onset of the program. Pursuant to the meeting’s notice, the law enforcement officer selected is Commander Mike Meislish; the military veteran selected is Major Raymond Brooks, US Army Ret.; and the researcher selected is Dr. Danielle Cabral, MD from IMA Clinical Research, Numinus. As it currently appears, the Council is still looking for an Arizona physician with a DEA Schedule I Psilocybin Research Certificate. The Council’s next meeting will be held on February 13th, 2024.
On November 24th, 2023, the ADHS published its requisite thirty (30)-day notice for opening of request for grant applications for the study of psilocybin whole mushrooms. As such, interested applicants will be able to begin submitting their applications on December 26th, 2023, via the eCivis Grant Portal. The application window shall be open for at least thirty (30) days. Pursuant to Senate Bill 1726, the Council will provide their recommendations of their selected applicants on February 1st, 2024.
If you are interested in applying for a competitive psilocybin research grant in the state of Arizona, having an expert Team behind you is essential to ensuring your success. Contact our Team today to discuss your options.