A former U.S. Senator says the federal government is preparing to fast-track psychedelic medicines, especially for veterans with TBI, PTSD, addiction, and treatment-resistant depression.

In this conversation, Kyrsten Sinema explains why the current administration is unusually aligned behind plant-based therapies, how Ibogaine and MDMA could move through the FDA faster than expected, and why small researchers, not Big Pharma, may end up shaping the field.

We dig into:

• Ibogaine’s impact on Special Forces veterans
• Why bipartisan support is real and why it’s strange
• What “FDA fast-track” actually means
• The fight to secure Medicaid/Medicare + VA coverage
• How cost + access could shift once CMS approves care
• The threat of large companies burying breakthroughs
• Why trauma + TBI may define the next decade of medicine

Sinema isn’t claiming everything is solved.

She argues there’s a rare window — and it could close.

Whether you’re hopeful or skeptical, you’ll walk away with a clearer view of the policy machinery behind psychedelic medicine.

⏱️ Chapters:

00:00 – Intro: Politics, Power, and Psychedelics
 01:41 – Why Interview Sinema? Pushback & Intentions
 02:21 – First Sponsor Tease & PS25 Plans
 03:56 – Sinema Joins the Interview
 04:18 – How Ibogaine Changed Her Perspective
 06:49 – Senate Colleagues' Reactions
 07:44 – Policy Progress & Bipartisan Allies
 09:43 – Pharma Capture & Psychedelic Industry Risks
 12:02 – Can Psychedelics Avoid Biotech Monopoly?
 13:40 – Cost, Access, and Equity Concerns
 14:44 – Ensuring Access for the Most Vulnerable
 15:56 – State vs. Federal Models
 17:00 – Federal Role in Decriminalization & Reform
 17:20 – Regrets or Missed Legislative Opportunities?
 18:43 – Sinema’s Continued Involvement
 20:06 – Political Alignment vs. Policy Goals
 20:17 – Restoring Trust in Institutions
 21:55 – Five-Year Outlook for Psychedelic Medicine
 23:10 – Final Reflections & Outro
 23:41 – Bonus: Sinema on Psychedelic Science 2025 Panels
 25:17 – Collaboration with VETS Foundation
 25:53 – Closing Thanks & Conference Plans
 28:49 – Outro Recap & Reflections
 31:19 – Sponsors, Shulgin Legacy, and Fireside Project
 32:10 – Next Episode Tease: Dr. Anne Wagner

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