Creating Access to Psilocybin-assisted Therapy for palliative care

At End Wise, we believe that Australia has the opportunity to lead the world in redefining how we support people at the end of life. Every Australian deserves the chance to face death with peace, meaning, and connection. Yet, for many, emotional and existential suffering remains unaddressed even when physical pain is well managed.

Through the End Wise Initiative, we are advocating for the safe, legal, and compassionate integration of psilocybin-assisted therapy into palliative care. This therapy has shown extraordinary potential to relieve existential distress, reduce fear and depression, and help individuals and their families find comfort and acceptance during life’s final stages.

We are not just building a service, we are building a movement  that reimagines a key part of life. End Wise is here to inform the public, advocate for policy change, reshape care models, and most importantly, relieve suffering at the end of life.

Our Policy Advocacy Work

Since July 2023, psilocybin and MDMA-assisted therapy have been available in Australia as part of the Therapeutic Goods Administration’s (TGA’s) Authorised Prescriber program.

Psychiatrists who have completed specialist training in psychedelic-assisted therapy can apply to become an Authorised Prescriber. Access is limited to treatment-resistant depression (psilocybin) and PTSD (MDMA).

Recognising the profound need within palliative care, on March 7th 2025, End Wise (formally known as the Palliative Care Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy Coalition) submitted an application to amend the regulations, allowing psilocybin to also be prescribed for those diagnosed with a terminal illness who are suffering from existential distress.

This submission marks an important step toward a more compassionate model of care, one that acknowledges the emotional, psychological, and spiritual suffering faced by patients and their families during end of life.

A public consultation period was held in May 2025, with an interim decision expected in late 2025. A second consultation will follow before the final determination.

Below you can read our application to allow access to psilocybin for those suffering from existential distress towards the end of their lives.