Overview

• New Zealand’s government authorized psilocybin for patients whose depression has not responded to conventional therapies.
• Psilocybin remains an unapproved medication but can be prescribed under tight regulatory guidelines.
• Only psychiatrists who have participated in psilocybin clinical trials may prescribe the compound.
• This decision aligns New Zealand with Australia’s 2023 approval of psychedelic therapies for mental health treatment.
• The government also announced plans to allow adults to purchase melatonin directly from pharmacies without a prescription.