U.S. President Donald Trump has unveiled a new initiative aimed at addressing serious mental illness in the United States by accelerating access to experimental and emerging treatments, including psychedelic-based therapies.
Trump signed an executive order directing federal agencies to remove barriers to psychedelic drugs for treating serious mental illness.
The order focuses on drugs that have received Breakthrough Therapy designations from the Food and Drug Administration. It instructs the FDA commissioner to issue National Priority Vouchers to qualifying psychedelic compounds.
These vouchers aim to prevent delays in the standard review process.
Pathways for Patient Access and Research Funding
The executive order creates a pathway for eligible patients to access investigational psychedelic drugs, including ibogaine compounds, while they remain under FDA review. This builds on the Right to Try Act signed during Trump’s first term, which allows terminally ill patients to try treatments that have cleared basic safety checks.
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The order also requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services to allocate $50 million through the Advanced Research Projects for Health program. These funds will match investments from state governments in psychedelic research for people with serious mental illness.
It directs the Department of Health and Human Services and the FDA to work with the Department of Veterans Affairs and private companies to expand clinical trials and collect more data on these therapies.
Trump’s Order
The order tasks the Attorney General with reviewing products that complete Phase 3 clinical trials. Successful drugs could be rescheduled quickly after FDA approval if appropriate.
The fact sheet released by the White House notes that more than 14 million American adults have a serious mental illness, defined as a diagnosable mental, behavioral, or emotional disorder that substantially interferes with daily life. Of those, 8 million are on prescription medication.
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Suicide rates fell during Trump’s first term for the first time since 2000. They rose again after the COVID-19 pandemic and reached a peak in 2022. Veterans face higher risks, with more than 6,000 veteran suicides reported each year for over two decades. The veteran suicide rate is more than twice that of non-veteran adults.
Why This Matters
This executive order targets treatment-resistant conditions where current options have not worked for many patients. By prioritizing review and funding, the administration aims to move promising therapies through the system faster.
The focus on veterans addresses a long-standing gap in care for those who served. The order links new research efforts to existing laws from Trump’s first term, including the Right to Try Act and mental health measures for service members transitioning to civilian life.
It also connects to the 2025 HALT Fentanyl Act, which changed rules for research on controlled substances.
