UPRA in 2025: Achievements in Numbers and Results
In 2025, the Ukrainian Association for Psychedelic Research (UPRA) continued its systematic work in the areas of education, analytics, regulatory dialogue, and professional development within the community. The organization’s activities were aimed at establishing an evidence-based approach to psychedelic-assisted therapy (PAT), developing an expert community, and expanding access to high-quality information in Ukrainian.
Education and Professional Community Development
UPRA has systematically developed its educational and professional initiatives, combining public expert communication, professional training, and the creation of educational materials.
In 2025, 20 educational events were held, including:The highlight of the event was the roundtable discussion “Ketamine in the Treatment of Mental Disorders in Ukraine: Experience and Prospects”, which brought together representatives from clinical practice, researchers, and experts to discuss the safe and standardized use of ketamine in the treatment of treatment-resistant depression. During the roundtable, I. Ivanchuk, a representative of the Public Health Center of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine, initiated a discussion on updating the national guidelines for the treatment of depression and the possibility of including ketamine-assisted therapy as a treatment method for treatment-resistant depression alongside transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) and electroconvulsive therapy (ECT). Implementing this proposal would potentially provide patients with broader access to evidence-based innovative treatment methods.
Publications and Educational Materials
In 2025:
Throughout the year, the following analytical and popular science articles were written and published:
These materials were designed to foster an evidence-based approach to PAT and to integrate the topic into professional and educational discourse.
Training of specialists
In collaboration with MAPS, a training program on MDMA-assisted therapy was organized and conducted in Lviv for 53 Ukrainian professionals (psychiatrists and psychotherapists).
Separately, 15 Ukrainian specialists were selected and sent to Poland for similar training.
These measures helped build a team of specialists trained to international standards.
Analytics, Standards, and Regulatory Dialogue
The socioeconomic context of 2025 was shaped by the aftermath of a full-scale war and the growing need for treatment of mental disorders. Along with this, it is worth noting
the gradual development of policies regarding new approaches to the treatment of mental disorders using psychotropic substances, which is reflected in particular in the new Drug Policy Strategy.
In 2025, UPRA focused its efforts on establishing the regulatory and methodological framework for the development of public joint-stock companies in Ukraine.
The analytical findings and recommendations were taken into account during the preparation of the draft resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine on the use of narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances, and precursors for educational and scientific purposes. The main provisions of the draft were developed with the participation of the UPRA team in cooperation with the Ministry of Health of Ukraine and relevant experts.
As part of the project activities, the document “Conceptual Foundations of Standardization in the Field of Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy” was prepared and published.
Document:
Document:
As of today, the document has no equivalent anywhere in the world in terms of its structure and the systematic nature of its approach.
Communication and Engagement
In 2025, the following engagement metrics were recorded:
The figures reflect a steady interest in the organization's activities and the gradual expansion of the professional community.
Institutional Development
In 2025, UPRA continued its work as an expert organization at the intersection of science, clinical practice, and public policy.
The management team has been ensured to operate smoothly, and project activities and financial administration have been effectively coordinated. Internal procedures for collaboration and support of educational and analytical initiatives have been streamlined.
Receiving Google grant funding has enabled us to streamline our digital communications and online outreach, thereby contributing to the organization’s institutional sustainability.
A Look into the Future
The achievements of 2025 have laid a solid foundation for UPRA’s future development. A key priority moving forward will be systematic outreach and analysis efforts with government officials, the medical community, researchers, and civil society regarding the potential and risks of using psychedelics in psychotherapy.
The informational and analytical materials prepared in 2025 are intended to serve as the basis for further changes in regulatory frameworks, with the aim of creating conditions for conducting research and introducing the product into clinical practice in accordance with Ukrainian law.
In particular, it is expected that procedures for conducting studies using substances listed in Table I and/or II will be approved, and that the process of reviewing the status of certain substances within the current regulatory framework will be initiated.
In the long term, these steps could lay the groundwork for the development of Ukrainian scientific research, the establishment of national clinical protocols, and the expansion of access to innovative treatments for those who need them.
