Question Period Note: EMERGING MENTAL HEALTH TREATMENTS FOR VETERANS

• Veterans Affairs Canada (VAC) reimburses treatments that are backed by scientific evidence and clinical guidelines. The Department works closely with Health Canada and Canadian Institutes for Health Research to monitor emerging treatment.
• Research into psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy is ongoing, but evidence remains limited.
• The Department is aware that people diagnosed with military or combat-related PTSD may respond to varying degrees of psychotherapy or antidepressants.
• Health Canada will assess new-drugs’ safety, efficacy and quality before regulating them under the Food and Drug Act.

Mental Health care for Veterans is grounded in safety, efficacy, and scientific evidence. VAC funds evidence-based treatments but does not regulate drugs, conduct pharmacological research, or provide direct health care. Instead, VAC works closely with Health Canada, which regulates clinical trials and approved drugs, and with the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), which funds research.
Psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy (PAP) involves using substances such as psilocybin, MDMA, LSD, or ketamine to induce an altered state during therapy. Proponents believe this may enhance therapeutic outcomes, particularly for PTSD or treatment-resistant depression. However, clinical evidence remains limited: studies often have small sample sizes, inconsistent findings, and lack long-term safety data. Guidelines and standardized protocols for PAP do not currently exist.
Ketamine is a general anesthetic which can cause changes in mood, perception, and consciousness, especially with higher doses. VAC reimburses ketamine as a pharmacological treatment for treatment-resistant depression and chronic pain, but not for psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy. Health Canada has approved Spravato (esketamine nasal spray) for major depressive disorder but no other psychedelic therapy has been authorized for mental health conditions.
Internationally, some jurisdictions (e.g. Australia, and United States) have moved on permitting psychedelic therapies, though critics argue decisions were premature given weak evidence. The Government of Canada has adopted a cautious approach, emphasizing Veteran safety.
The Senate Subcommittee on Veterans Affairs (VEAC) supports a large-scale research into PAP for Veterans. The Government’s 2024 response reaffirmed its commitment to evidence-based care, noting that PAP research is ongoing and VAC will continue to monitor outcomes with Health Canada and CIHR.
Until there is sufficient scientific evidence to demonstrate safety and effectiveness, VAC will not reimburse psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy. Veterans continue to have access to proven, first-line PTSD treatments, including cognitive processing therapy, prolonged exposure therapy, and Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy.

Scientific Evidence
• Psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy (PAP) research is in early stages with small, inconsistent studies.
• No long-term safety data, standardized protocols or clinical guidelines currently exist for PAP.
• Risks remain uncertain for individuals with psychosis, dissociation, suicidal risk, or related disorders.
Research and Trials
• Health Canada’s Clinical Trials Database lists multiple psilocybin clinical trials authorized at various stages, with most studies in Phase I or Phase II, focused on safety, dosing, and early efficacy. Health Canada does not publish an official aggregate count of psilocybin trials or licensed producers.

• The Canadian Institutes of Health Research have funded a limited number of non–Veteran‑specific trials in alcohol use disorder, treatment‑resistant depression, and end‑of‑life distress in cancer.

• Veterans Affairs Canada, through the Joint Federal Research Funding Program, has funded a review of novel, emerging, and alternative mental health interventions for women Veterans, which includes consideration of psychedelic‑assisted psychotherapy.
Ketamine
• Ketamine is not approved for use in PAP.
• VAC funds ketamine (infusion, oral, nasal spray, and compounded cream) for treatment-resistant depression and chronic pain.
Policy and Oversight
• VAC works with Health Canada and Canadian Institutes for Health Research (CIHR) to monitor emerging therapies.
• Senate subcommittee (VEAC) recommended large-scale research into PAP for Veterans; government response emphasized need for more evidence before adoption.