What A Collab! Optimi Health & Patient Advocate Thomas Hartle's New Medical Psilocybin Venture

Optimi Health Corp. OPTHF, the Canadian licensed psychedelic and functional mushrooms producer has signed a partnership agreement with psilocybin patient advocate Thomas Hartle to produce a novel homegrown, natural therapeutic psilocybin product for approved patients.

Who Is Thomas Hartle?

While Optimi’s work might be familiar to many, Thomas Hartle is a husband, father, IT professional and the first Canadian to legally receive psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy for his stage 4 colon cancer diagnosis. The treatment began in August 2020 and has enabled him to experience a substantial improvement in his overall well-being, which has in turn compelled him to become an active supporter of it.

“Honestly, until I started receiving my psilocybin-assisted therapy treatments two years ago, I wasn’t sure if I could handle the daily stress of knowing that I was dying. Having a therapeutic psilocybin product made in my honor, which I had never considered as a possibility, gives me pause to reflect on how many have lost their battles before ever experiencing the amazing benefits of psilocybin therapy,” Hartle said.

Bill Ciprick, Optimi’s CEO, added that “Honoring Thomas’ incredible optimism and appreciation for life with his own natural, Canadian-grown psilocybin product is something we will cherish as a company forever. We share Thomas’s energy and passion for creating the perfect psilocybin experience.” 

The company expects to provide its new product through the Canadian Special Access Program to patients in need, “while further demonstrating to regulators that psychedelic-assisted therapies can be integrated into our existing healthcare framework.”

Both partners will host a virtual press conference on August 10 to discuss further details of the agreement and present their new product.

Optimi Donates To Hartle’s Charity

Commemorating the two-year anniversary of Hartle’s access to psilocybin-assisted therapy, Optimi will make a financial donation and donate the product sales proceeds directly towards his recently established charitable company, with hopes of facilitating patient access to the treatment. 

August 4th holds a special significance for all those committed to a better future through psychedelic medicine. It was two years ago today that @GovCanHealth first granted four Canadians, including Thomas Hartle of Saskatchewan, the Section 56 Exemptions to the 1/3... pic.twitter.com/quPHAGIzJK

— Optimi Health (@Optimi_Health) August 4, 2022

In fact, Hartle’s charitable vision is set to address equality and the lack of access to psilocybin-assisted therapy for vulnerable and underserved populations.

“Vulnerable and underserved adults who are often excluded from the benefits of psilocybin therapy based on social, economic, gender, and racial factors beyond their control is a problem we need to solve," Ciprick said. "Pain doesn’t discriminate, so hopefully our announcement with Thomas is a step in the right direction in addressing this urgent need.”

Photo Courtesy of Umit Bulut on Unsplash.