ATMA SUBMITS PHASE II CLINICAL TRIAL APPLICATION, ASSESSING PSILOCYBIN EFFICACY IN HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS SUFFERING FROM COVID-19-RELATED MENTAL WELLNESS CHALLENGES.

ATMA signs non-binding Letters of Intent to access over 10 clinical sites across Canada in collaboration on the largest psilocybin trial to date.

CALGARY, AB, May 10, 2022 /CNW/ - ATMA Journey Centers Inc. ("ATMA"), an Alberta-based company focused on the international delivery of its innovative psychedelic-assisted therapy solutions, announced the submission of its N-500 Phase II Psilocybin Clinical Trial to Health Canada today. This trial is aimed at studying the potential relief of COVID-19-associated mental health concerns in healthcare professionals, as well as analyzing healthcare professionals' firsthand evaluation of the effectiveness of psilocybin psychotherapy in application.

The primary objective of the trial is to assess the capacity of psilocybin to improve the overall mental health of healthcare providers. While enduring the pandemic has been difficult for all Canadians, healthcare providers have had the immense challenge of helping patients cope with the both the direct and indirect physical and psychological burdens of COVID-19. Using a variety of self-administered tests, including the Quick Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology Self-report 16-item (QIDS-SR16), the Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-item (GAD-7), and the Burnout Assessment Tool (BAT), healthcare providers will assess their anxiety, depression, and occupational burnout levels before and after consuming psilocybin under the guidance of a licenced medical practitioner. The outcome of this objective will provide real-world data as to the effectiveness of psilocybin. As a secondary exploratory objective, participants will complete an assessment of their psilocybin experience to inform the potential utility of psilocybin in a clinical setting, from the perspective of a healthcare provider.

While an N-500 trial is an enormous undertaking, it is necessary in order to assess the efficacy of psilocybin in treating healthcare professionals struggling with mental health issues during and post-COVID-19, especially therapists who embody the role of 'the healer'.  Further, by experiencing the efficacious effects of psilocybin firsthand, therapists will be able to offer experiential insights into psilocybin-assisted therapy, thus providing valuable contributions to the future of this field. When combined with psychotherapy, therapists may begin to develop an appreciation of psilocybin's usefulness in other applications of treatment-resistant mental illness.  

In addition to the primary and secondary outcomes of this Phase II trial, this trial represents an opportunity unlike any other; many participants will be therapists that have previous training in psychedelic medicine, or are undergoing an experiential journey in combination with a psilocybin-assisted therapy training program. ATMA will be running its Psilocybin-assisted Therapy Training Program concurrent to this trial, allowing for the cross participation of healthcare professionals interested in pursuing the path of psychedelic-assisted therapy in the near future. Healthcare professionals will be able to participate as test subjects, facilitators, or both.  For more on ATMA's training programs, visit https://academy.atmajourney.com/

David Harder, ATMA Co-CEO, explains that "the need for qualified, certified therapists is becoming increasingly evident as we see that these medicines must be given in protocols of pre- and post-treatment counselling. Understanding the holistic nature of psilocybin therapy may prove more effective when the training includes an experiential component." The clinical trial and Psilocybin-assisted Therapy Training Program will be open to interested healthcare professionals on both sides of the Canada-United States border.

In planning to expand from a local to national initiative, ATMA has signed Letters of Intent (LOIs) with multiple organizations that have the appropriate clinical facilities and staff to support this Canada-wide clinical trial. Having local support sites will ensure that the trial will service healthcare professionals from coast-to-coast in a logistical and efficient manner. David Harder adds, "We welcome more physician, clinician, and clinic participation in this historic collaboration of the largest psilocybin clinical trial to date. Physicians, clinicians, and clinics looking to explore psilocybin-assisted therapy as part of their future service offerings could benefit greatly from this trial."

It is important for ATMA to collaborate with multiple capable organizations across Canada in order to conduct and maintain the integrity of this large Phase II clinical trial, as well as larger subsequent clinical trials. ATMA is pleased to have established such like-minded partnerships in an effort to bring these trials to healthcare professionals across Canada, allowing for individuals to participate locally without a travel burden added to their already busy schedules.

ABOUT ATMA JOURNEY CENTERS INC.

ATMA is pioneering a therapist-centered and therapist-driven business model for the psychedelic industry, by building the largest online community platform for psychedelic practitioners. Education, training, and business support services will all be accessible on one user friendly technology platform. Our philosophy of inclusivity will encourage more participation from healthcare professionals, which will in turn yield more data and experiences. Overall, this will lead to increased effectiveness and accessibility of psychedelic-assisted therapy. Beginning with a clear focus on psilocybin-assisted therapy, we will be able to expand to other psychedelics as the regulatory environment also expands. ATMA provides a clear, guided path for healthcare professionals and clinics to build psychedelic-assisted therapies into their current practices.

SOURCE ATMA Journey Centers Inc

MEDIA CONTACT: David Harder, Co-CEO, ATMA Journey Centers Inc., [email protected]