Top of the morning to you, and a fine one it is. There is nothing like being greeted with clear blue skies and cool breezes upon waking up today on the Pharmalot campus. Birds are chirping, butterflies are flurrying, and official mascots are barking. And we are similarly engaged in early-in-the-day rituals of our own — firing up the trusty coffee kettle for another cup of stimulation. Once again, we are reaching for strawberry creme, a tasty treat. Please feel free to join us. While you consider the invite, here are a few tidbits for you to peruse as you begin the day ahead, which we hope is successful. Best of luck, and do stay in touch. Postcards and telegrams are still accepted. …
A U.S. Food and Drug Administration advisory panel will deliberate on June 4 whether to recommend approval for the first MDMA-assisted therapy for post-traumatic stress disorder, Reuters writes. This would be the first FDA panel of outside experts to review a potential new PTSD treatment in 25 years. After decades of studies, psychoactive ingredients, whether derived from cannabis, LSD, or magic mushrooms, have captivated mental health researchers in a quest for treatments. To support its application, Lykos Therapeutics studied the party drug MDMA, more commonly called ecstacy or molly, in two late-stage studies.
A U.S. appeals court must weigh how far FDA regulations for an abortion pill go in preempting state laws that regulate the practice of medicine — a largely untested area that legal analysts say will shape abortion access, Bloomberg Law explains. On April 30, a U.S. District Court judge ruled some North Carolina laws regulating the prescription and distribution of mifepristone were preempted by an FDA safety program. The judge determined some North Carolina laws deal with broader health and safety matters that are under state jurisdiction and are therefore not preempted by federal law. Legal analysts predict both sides are likely to appeal the ruling.
