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26
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2025
Psychedelic Treatment: What If the Breakthrough Was Already Here?
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12pm - 1pm

Doors open

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Vice President of External Affairs, Annie E. Casey Foundation

Welcome and Introductions

Our VP of Product Marketing, Ingrid Wantuch, kicks off the event with a welcome message.

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Vice President of External Affairs, Annie E. Casey Foundation

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12 pm

Welcome and Introductions

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About the Event

March
 
17
,
 
2026
 
-
 
8:00AM 
EDT

Travel Credit Included for In-Person Attendees

Psychiatry is at an inflection point. And the stakes are high. Mental illness costs the U.S. economy more than $280 billion annually, drives veteran suicide rates, and places mounting strain on everything from emergency rooms to the workforce. Yet many of today’s medicines have not advanced in decades despite the rising prevalence and unmet need. 
  
For the one in five Americans living with a mental health disorder and veterans who face disproportionally high suicide rates and do not respond to conventional treatments, the gap between what medicine promises and what it delivers has never been more consequential. 
  
But change is underway. A new wave of rigorous clinical science is unlocking the therapeutic potential of psychedelic medicines and opening new routes for brain health that could redefine what treatment success looks like. 
 
Psychedelic medicines are advancing through late-stage clinical trials, with several investigational candidates earning FDA Breakthrough Therapy Designation for disorders including anxiety and depression. 
  
Join The Hill, in partnership with Definium Therapeutics, for a timely mental health policy forum convening lawmakers, clinical researchers, and advocates to explore what science tells us, what the regulatory landscape requires, and what actions Congress can take to ensure that patients are not left behind. 

Agenda

8:00 AM ET

Networking Breakfast

8:25 AM ET

Welcome Remarks with Bill Sammon, SVP of Editorial Content, The Hill

8:30 AM ET

Psychedelics Overview with Stephanie Fagan, Chief Corporate Affairs Officer, Definium Therapeutics 

8:35 AM ET

A Congressional Advocate: Researching & Expanding Access to Psychedelic-Assisted Therapies with Rep. Jack Bergman (R-MI), Co-Founder & Co-Chair, Congressional Psychedelics Advancing Therapies Caucus; Member, House Veterans Affairs Committee in conversation with Brie Jackson, Deputy DC Bureau Chief, NewsNation

9:00 AM ET

Next Steps for Psychedelics Research, Implementation & Care with John Eaton, VP – Complex Care, Wounded Warrior Project (WWP), Mary Giliberti, Chief Public Policy Officer, Mental Health America and Matthew Strait, Former DEA Diversion Control Division Official & Principal, Controlled Substance Strategies in conversation with Brie Jackson, Deputy DC Bureau Chief, NewsNation

9:45 AM ET

Psychedelic Drug Development & FDA’s Regulatory Authority with Dr. Tiffany Farchione, Director, Division of Psychiatry, Food & Drug Administration in conversation with Brie Jackson, Deputy DC Bureau Chief, NewsNation 

10:00 AM ET

Program Concludes

Watch The Full Event

Speakers

Additional Speakers To Be Confirmed

Rep. Jack Bergman (R-MI)

Co-Chair & Co-Founder, Congressional Psychedelics Advancing Therapies Caucus & Member, Veterans Affairs Committee

 Dr. Tiffany Farchione

Director, Division of Psychiatry, Food & Drug Administration (FDA) 

John Eaton

VP — Complex Care, Wounded Warrior Project (WWP)

Mary Giliberti

Chief Public Policy Officer, Mental Health America

Matthew Strait

Former DEA Diversion Control Division Official & Principal, Controlled Substance Strategies

Stephanie Fagan

Chief Corporate Affairs Officer, Definium Therapeutics

Bill Sammon

SVP — Editorial Content, The Hill

Brie Jackson 

 Deputy Bureau Chief, NewsNation

Agenda

8:00 am

Registration & Networking Breakfast

8:30 Am

Welcome Remarks

Bill Sammon, SVP Editorial Content, The Hill & NewsNation

8:35 am

 The Department of War’s Top Doctor Perspective

Dr. Stephen Ferrara, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of War for Health Affairs, Department of War in conversation with Kathleen Koch

8:50 am

Sponsor Perspective: PMI

Dr. Brian Erkkila, Head of U.S. Scientific Engagement, PMI U.S. in conversation with Sarah Katt

9:00 am

Veteran’s View: Quitting Smoking

Harvey Graham-Green in conversation with Kathleen Koch

9:10 am

Tobacco and Health Equity: Solutions for the Most Vulnerable


- Chelsey Simoni, Co-Founder & Chief Health Officer, HunterSeven Foundation 
- Danny Vargas, Founder, Chairman & CEO, American Latino Veterans Association 
- Lindsay Lewis, Chief Executive Officer, Progressive Policy  Institute

 

 in conversation with Kathleen Koch

9:40 am

Moving Forward: Working Toward Bipartisan Tobacco Harm Reduction Policy

Dr. Tom Price, Former HHS Secretary (R) in conversation with Kathleen Koch

9:55 am

A View from Capitol Hill  
Rep. Rob Wittman (R-VA), Vice Chair, House Armed Services Committee in conversation with Kathleen Koch

10:05 am

Event Concludes

Hosts

Bill Sammon

SVP – Editorial Content, The Hill

Betty Liu

Host, The Hill

Kathleen Koch

Contributing Editor, The Hill

Sylvan Lane

Business Editor, The Hill

Proudly Sponsored by

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Definium Therapeutics 

Definium Therapeutics is a late-stage clinical biopharmaceutical company developing a new generation of therapeutics intended to address the underlying causes of psychiatric and neurological disorders. Our mission is to forge a new era of psychiatry by applying scientific rigor to psychedelics, with the goal of developing accessible treatments that unlock healing at scale. Guided by a recognition that patients deserve more than better, Definium is relentlessly advancing a new generation of therapeutics intended to address underlying causes of psychiatric and neurological disorders. By turning evidence into impact, Definium aims to change the trajectory of today’s mental health care crisis and enable a healthier future.

Event Themes

To Tax or Not to Tax 

House and Senate Republicans are headed to a crossroads over how much it will cost to extend President Trump’s 2017 tax cuts. How will Republicans in Congress pay for the tax cuts and which additional cuts will be added? Which issues will be the thorniest? And how will lawmakers avoid ballooning the already large federal debt?

Trade War Fallout

The U.S. is embroiled in escalating trade wars on multiple fronts against Europe, Mexico and Canada. How will the tariff hikes impact the growth and inflation at home and across the board? What kind of impact will tariff hikes have on inflation, business investment and the economies at home and abroad? Will central banks have to keep interest rates higher for longer than previously expected?

Cryptocurrency Capital

Trump 2.0 is a big proponent of various cryptocurrencies and pledged to make America "the crypto capital of the planet." What additional crypto executive orders can we expect to see during his second term and is the possibility of a stablecoin in American’s future?

AI, Antitrust & the Administration 

Antitrust regulators aren't backing down from cases against Big Tech names like Google, Meta and Apple. Where do the FCC, FTC and Justice Department stand on antitrust issues? And how will the growing consolidation of AI platforms and technologies play out in a second Trump Administration?

Energy Roadmap

While President Trump has pledged to “drill, baby drill,” the country’s energy future will rely on far more than just fossil fuels. With U.S. and global electricity demand on the rise, alternative energy sources like solar, wind, coal, nuclear and geothermal will play an increasing role. How will energy technologies shift dramatically in the next four years in the overall energy picture? And what are the environmental repercussions?

Cyber Corner

Ransomware, phishing and data breaches, oh my! Advancements in technology and more complex cyber threats are a package deal. What should c-suite executives do to protect their companies? And what role is AI playing in complicating cybersecurity attacks?

Startups Spotlight

In recent years, many startups have had a tough time raising money to get their fledgling businesses going. What is the current climate for entrepreneurship? Will the majority of startups continue to be AI-focused? How will the IPO market fare during Trump 2.0?

Real Estate Realities

All real estate is local. How much further do interest rates need to fall to jumpstart the housing sector? What impact will the recent nosedive in the stock market have on an already slower housing market?

Venue

Apella at Alexandria Center is New York City’s leader in innovative meeting and event space. Apella offers 10 thoughtfully designed private rooms, all with contemporary interiors and state-of-the-art technology, and many with expansive East River views.

Sponsored by

Interested in learning more?

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