Norrsken Mind sponsored the The Nordic Psychedelic Science Conference (NPSC) 2022 which took place in Oslo, Norway, on the 19th and 20th of May 2022. The following is a post-conference report from project manager Anna Høifødt.

Nordic researchers are currently participating in international trials using MDMA for the treatment of PTSD, psilocybin and ketamine for the treatment of depression. The NPSC mission was to put the Nordic countries on the map of global psychedelic research and in order to achieve that goal we saw a need to build a foundation for an organized scientific field by showcasing current research and creating a nordic network of relevant actors. Based on the feedback from participants, speakers and partners, we believe NPSC 2022 was a success and a great first edition to what we aspire to make a bi-annual event.

The program was split into two parts; the first part was a two day academic program tailored for researchers, healthcare professionals and students; the second part was an evening symposium organized in such a way to be accessible to the wider public. The academic conference hosted 204 participants, while the symposium hosted 323 participants. There were in total 27 speakers and panel participants on stage, as well as two psychedelic-assisted therapy patients offering their experience and a musical performance by the norwegian artist Niilas.

Speakers

Our speaker selection process was based on a couple of different criteria. First and foremost we wanted to showcase the Nordic researchers and their research projects. Due to the fact that psychedelic science is a new field in the Nordic countries, we decided to not only showcase those who have published their results, but also introduce ongoing projects and let the speakers talk about their aspirations and concerns going forward.

Second we wanted to showcase some of the leading international organizations within psychedelic research to illuminate some of the possibilities and challenges that might be ahead for the Nordic psychedelic science community.  Third, we wanted to make sure that we included as many academic disciplines as possible, even though the field is now heavily influenced by clinical research. And finally we make sure that the research participants' voices were heard, in order to remember that the research and wider academic conversation is about human beings and real human suffering. Our speakers included:

Social science and humaniora

• Willy Pedersen, Professor of sociology at the University of Oslo.
• Professor Ole Martin Moen, Philosopher and professor at OsloMet
• Dr. Michael Winkelman, M.P.H. PhD, Medical Anthropology at University of California-Irvine

Clinical science

• Professor Rasmus W. Licht, Professor of psychiatry at University of Aalborg and research director at Psykiatrien - Aalborg University Hospital
• Dr Tor Morten Kvam,  Psychiatrist at PsykForsk, Sykehuset Østfold
• Dr Dea Siggaard Stenbæk PhD, Psychologist and neuroscientist at the Danish Center for Psychedelic Research (absence due to sickness)
• Dr Mathias Ebbesen Jensen,  PhD candidate at the Psychiatric Centre Copenhagen, Rigshospitalet
• Dr. Bolette Daniels Beck PhD, Assistant professor at Aalborg University, Denmark
• Dr. Henrik Børsting Jacobsen, Senior Researcher, University of Oslo, Department of Psychology.
• Dr. Ingmar Clausen, Psychiatrist and head of DPS North Østfold
• Johan Eriksson, Clinical psychologist, therapist in the ongoing clinical trial PSIPET at Karolinska Institute
• Filip Bromberg, Psychologist & research facilitator
• Dr Andreas Wahl Blomkvist, M.D., researcher and author of Ulovlig Medicine
• Ivar Goksøyr, Clinical psychologist specialist and member of PsykForsk
• Dr Eva Henje, Associate Professor at Umeå University
• Dr Malin Vedøy Uthaug PhD, researcher
• Kristoffer Andersen, Clinical psychologist at Awakn Clinics, Oslo
• Charles Ethan Paccione, M.S., M.A., is a Ph.D. Fellow in Medicine and Health Sciences at the University of Oslo and a specialist in Spirituality Mind Body Pain Medicine
• Dr Lowan Stewart, medical advisor at PsykForsk, DPS Nordre Østfold for international trials on psilocybin, MDMA, ketamine and esketamine
• Anders Tingman, psychologist
• Dr Ben Sessa, Chief Medical Officer at AWAKN Life Sciences
• Dr Danielle Schlosser, Senior Vice President of Clinical Innovation at COMPASS Pathways
• Dr David Erritzoe, Psychiatrist, London Imperial College - Center for Psychedelic Research
• Professor Celia Morgan, Head of ketamine assisted psychotherapy for addiction at Awakn Life Sciences (absence due to sickness)

Basic science

• Dr Atila Szabo PhD,  Immunologist and Research Fellow at the University of Oslo

Other

• Hamilton Morris, journalist, documentarian, and scientific researcher
• Otto Simonsson Post. doc, experimental and epidemiological research at Karolinska Institutet
• Amy Emerson, Chief Executive Officer at the MAPS Public Benefit Corporation (MAPS PBC)
• Måns Bergkvist, President of the Swedish Network for Psychedelic Science
• Guro Skottne and Hege Fridtun, study participants
• Niilas, award winning norwegian artist

Organizers and partners

NPSC 2022 was hosted by the association Norwegian Psychedelic Science, a non-profit organization run by academics and researchers within the field of psychedelic science in Norway. The project manager was Anna Høifødt and producer Håkon Weløy Aarseth, with special help from Kimarius Abrahamsen and Anne Trætteberg Reitan. There were 10 on-site volunteers. The conference MC was Dominic Munton.  

In order to properly represent all relevant actors in the nordic countries, we also collaborated with organizations such as Nätverket för Psykedelisk Vetenskap in Sweden, the danish organizations Psykedelisk Samfund and Center for Psykedelisk Dannelse, as well as the research team PsykForsk at Østfold Hospital.

Promotional partners included The ALPS Foundation, a non-profit foundation based in Switzerland, and OPEN Foundation who organized the Interdisciplinary Conference on Psychedelic Research (ICPR), Europe’s leading conference on psychedelic science and therapy.

Sponsors

• Awakn Life Sciences
• MAPS
• Viriditas foundation
• COMPASS
• Osmond Foundation

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