A WARRINGTON MP has raised an issue ‘causing misery to millions’ with the Prime Minster.

Warrington North MP Charlotte Nichols spoke during Prime Minister’s Questions in the House of Commons on Wednesday.

Parliament heard her ask Rishi Sunak for an update on research into the drug psilocybin as treatment for conditions such as post-traumatic stress disorder and depression.

The MP said the UK has ‘fallen shamefully behind’ other countries.

Ms Nichols said: “The UK used to be a world leader in psilocybin research.

“But, despite the calls of the Home Affairs Committee, leading researchers, charities, veterans’ organisations and the Royal College of Psychiatrists, we have shamefully fallen behind on breakthrough treatments for conditions such as post-traumatic stress disorder and depression, causing misery to millions of people in our country.

“Can the Prime Minister explain why this policy remains the responsibility of a Home Office that cannot give it the attention it deserves, and why it is okay that American, Canadian and Australian patients can access treatment that British patients cannot?”

In response, the Prime Minister said: “I completely sympathise and understand why people suffering from distressing conditions will want to seek the best possible treatment available, and I thank the honourable lady for raising the issue.

“We are committed to ensuring that the UK is a world-leading jurisdiction for pharmaceutical, clinical and other medical research.

“We have asked the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs to review barriers to legitimate medical research involving controlled drugs such as psilocybin.

“I am pleased to tell the honourable lady that our response to the council’s recommendations will be published as soon as possible.”