“We are moving toward making Puerto Rico a leader in clinical research and opening new opportunities for our patients, researchers, healthcare professionals, and veterans.”
By Jack Gorsline, Psychedelic State(s) of America
In a significant move aimed at overhauling Puerto Rico’s approach to severe mental health and substance use disorders, Gov. Jenniffer González-Colón (R) signed an executive order on Tuesday designed to transform the U.S. territory into a pioneering hub for clinical research into emerging medical therapies, including the investigational use of ibogaine.
Executive Order 2026-037 will create a comprehensive assessment regarding the feasibility and advisability of establishing a “Pilot Clinical Research Program for Emerging Therapies.” The program would lay the crucial groundwork for highly regulated clinical trials involving novel and historically restricted therapeutic compounds, prioritizing scientific rigor and strict adherence to both state and federal regulatory frameworks.
The administration cited the island’s ongoing battle with complex mental health challenges, neurodegenerative diseases and escalating substance use disorders as the primary catalyst for the new public policy.
Recognizing that existing treatments often fall short for vulnerable populations, the government is looking toward novel compounds like ibogaine—a psychoactive alkaloid being studied globally for its potential to interrupt severe
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