NASHVILLE, Tenn. – State Rep. Bryan Terry, R-Murfreesboro, has proposed legislation to allow Tennessee to participate in ibogaine research for individuals suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), traumatic brain injury, and opioid addiction.
The Helping Open Pathways to Effective (HOPE) Treatment Act, or House Bill 2075, creates a council focused on advancing research into ibogaine, a plant-based psychedelic compound, as a potential treatment for conditions like opioid addiction, PTSD, depression and brain injuries.
"I've spoken with veterans who left the state for care and found real relief for the first time after years of failed treatments," Terry said. "If we don't act, Tennessee will fall behind in advancing transformative mental health care for our veterans and those battling addiction. We owe it to them to expand access at home and help lead this breakthrough."
Ibogaine has shown promise in reducing symptoms of PTSD, anxiety, and depression, as well as improved functioning in veterans with traumatic brain injuries, according to researchers at Stanford Medicine. The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) estimates approximately 70,000 Tennesseans struggle with opioid addiction.
The legislation creates the Council on Emerging Behavioral Health Treatments to approve participating research institutions, oversee funding and progress, and provide annual reports to the General Assembly. The council would be made up of lawmakers, state agencies, and non-voting experts like providers and nonprofits.
The proposal would allow Tennessee universities and research hospitals to join multistate ibogaine clinical trial consortiums, enabling collaboration across state lines rather than requiring a Tennessee-only program.
Institutions must have U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval or pending approval for clinical trials, along with various safety and patient support requirements, they must demonstrate plans to serve high-need populations such as veterans and rural communities.
While the proposal does not require state funding, it does set it up to accept public and private funds to support this research.
Lawmakers in Texas and Mississippi have approved similar legislation to participate in clinical trials, while proposals remain under consideration in several other states.
House Bill 2075 advanced out of the Health Committee and is expected to be heard in the Finance, Ways and Means Subcommittee on April 8.
Bryan Terry, MD, represents District 48 in the Tennessee House of Representatives, which includes the eastern half of Rutherford County.
