Mental health disorders have been increasingly recognized and diagnosed over the past several years. FDA approved medications serve as a cornerstone in treatment but are not effective for all patients. Research is emerging to support the use of psychoactive medications for the treatment of various mental health disorders. As these medications have been previously considered to be ‘psychedelics’ and recreational and carry a stigma associated with their use, some practitioners may be uncomfortable with use of these agents in practice. Further complicating utilization, more specifically with cannabinoid use (products containing THC and/or CBD in various concentrations and dosage forms), the legal landscape remains problematic in select scenarios and states. Practitioners grapple with the use of these new, and at times unregulated, products obtained from local dispensaries vs FDA approved agents. Non-FDA approved options may lack quality controls, information on contents, and represent a need for consistency. The goal of this program is to review the evidence, therapeutics, and legislative changes underway for the use of psychoactive agents (i.e. esketamine, psilocybin, MDMA and cannabinoids) for use in various health conditions to better equip pharmacists to comprehensively address the use of these agents within their practice.

Faculty

Moderator: Brent A. Hall, Pharm.D., BCPPS Pharmacy Specialist, Pediatrics Pediatrics PGY2 Residency Director Associate Clinical Professor, UCSF School of Pharmacy UC Davis Children's Hospital, UC Davis Medical Center Sacramento, CA   View Biography