News item | 17-03-2023 | 3:30 pm
At the proposal of Minister Kuipers of Health, Welfare and Sport, the Council of Ministers has approved the establishment of the State Committee on MDMA. Professor Brigit Toebes will become chairman of the State Commission. The committee aims to present its advice on the status of MDMA to the cabinet before 31 January 2024.
It has been agreed in the coalition agreement that a State Committee on MDMA will be set up. The State Commission is asked to investigate the status of XTC (MDMA) in the context of public health and to advise on the advantages and disadvantages of medicinal use, including a multidisciplinary analysis of health risks, prevention and the European context and relevant treaties.
Minister Kuipers: “It is good that the status of MDMA in the context of public health and its medicinal use is being examined. There are good indications that the use of drugs, such as MDMA, can help patients in certain situations where regularly offered drugs cannot. Recently I also received a report on this from ZonMW about therapeutic applications of psychedelics in the Netherlands. I look forward to the advice of the State Commission. It is a diverse state committee with expertise in a variety of dossiers such as the treatment of psychotraumas, undermining and addiction care. I am therefore confident that the cabinet and I will be provided with good advice in this area.”
In addition to Brigit Toebes, the following members are members of the State Commission:
- prof. dr. W. (Wim) van den Brink
- prof. dr. EW (Emile) Kolthoff
- prof. dr. HGJM (Eric) Vermetten
- drs. M. (Martha) de Jonge
- drs. FMJ (Femke) Gresnigt