Psychoactive Substances Bill

In 2015, the Academy and other medical and research bodies worked with the Home Office to try and mitigate any potential unintended consequences of the Psychoactive Substances Bill on medical research.

Status: Undefined

The Academy received a letter from the Home Office on 26 October 2015, detailing the steps that the Government has taken to attempt to mitigate any potential unintended consequences of the Bill for medical research. The letter outlined the proposal for inclusion of a new schedule with an exemption for 'bona fide' research, and this new schedule was approved and moved to the Bill during Committee stage which concluded on 29 October 2015. The letter also confirmed that research involving substances that are intended for later use in humans, such as in-vitro and animal research, is not within the scope of the Bill. The Academy responded to this letter, and both the letter and response can be downloaded from the righthand side of the page.

We are continuing to work with the Home Office to ensure that medical research is not potentially impacted by the Bill.

Letter to the Home Office and concerns on the Psychoactive Substances Bill

On the 29 June 2015, the Academy of Medical Sciences, along with the British Pharmacological Society, Royal College of Psychiatrists, Royal Society, Society of Biology and the Wellcome Trust, wrote to the Home Secretary, Rt Hon Theresa May MP, expressing concern over the Psychoactive Substances Bill.

The Home Office responded to our letter with clear reassurances that the Government intended to amend the Bill so that it did not impact ‘bona fide’ medical research. The original letter and response can be downloaded from the righthand side of this page. 

Home Affairs Committee inquiry on psychoactive substances

The Academy also submitted a joint response to the  Home Affairs Committee inquiry on psychoactive substances with the British Pharmacological Society, Royal College of Psychiatrists, Royal Society, Royal Society of Biology and the Wellcome Trust. The response outlined concerns about the potential unintended consequences of the Psychoactive Substances Bill for medical research, and can be viewed here.

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