| Vote Recommendation | Economic Freedom | Property Rights | Personal Responsibility | Limited Government | Individual Liberty |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No | Neutral | Neutral | Neutral | Negative | Neutral |
Relating to a study on the use of alternative therapies for treating post-traumatic stress disorder.
Estimated Two-year Net Impact to General Revenue Related Funds for HB 1802, As Engrossed : a NEGATIVE impact of ($1,440,307) through the biennium ending August 31, 2023.
The bill would make no appropriation but could provide the legal basis for an appropriation of funds to implement the provisions of the bill.
HB 1802 would require the Health and Human Services Commission, with Baylor College of Medicine, and in partnership with a military veterans hospital or a medical center that provides medical care to veterans, to conduct a study of the efficacy of using alternative therapies to treat post traumatic stress. This would include studying the use of MDMA and psilocybin (both Schedule 1 controlled substances), as well as ketamine, in treating veterans who suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder.
The bill would require the commission, in collaboration with Baylor College of Medicine, to perform a clinical trial on the therapeutic efficacy of using psilocybin in the treatment of treatment-resistant post-traumatic stress disorder in veterans.
HB 1802 would require quarterly reports on the progress of the study to the legislature and governor, and a written report on the results of the study by December, 2024.
Texas Action opposes HB 1802 which would create a new state program to address an issue that should be handled at the federal level. Veterans' health issues are more properly considered by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs rather than the state.
We are also skeptical of using public funding on experimental treatments using highly regulated controlled substances. MDMA and psilocybin are both Schedule 1 controlled substances. Under current statute, in order for a substance to be placed in the Schedule I grouping the commissioner of state health services must make a finding that the substance "has no accepted medical use in treatment in the United States or lacks accepted safety for use in treatment under medical supervision."
According to the State Board of Pharmacy, Schedule 1 substances are "drugs with a high abuse risk. These drugs have NO safe, accepted medical use in the United States"