Bill > HB1477

This bill establishes the Ibogaine Clinical Research Grant Program, which will provide grants to eligible research institutions in Maryland to conduct certified clinical drug development trials, overseen by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), on the use of ibogaine for treating opioid use disorder and other neurological conditions. Ibogaine is a naturally occurring psychoactive compound found in the iboga plant, and the program will also cover ibogaine-based therapeutics and analogs. Eligible research institutions must be located in the state, have expertise in neurological diseases, substance use disorders, PTSD, or trauma, possess neurosurgery programs with specialized clinical research facilities capable of providing cardiac intensive care, and be able to support pioneering research. The program will be administered by the Department of Health, in consultation with the Department of Veterans and Military Families, and can award up to three grants annually, requiring matching funds from the recipient institutions. Funding for the program, up to $500,000 per year from fiscal years 2028 through 2030, will come from the Opioid Restitution Fund, which is comprised of settlement revenues from opioid manufacturers and related entities, and is intended for various substance use disorder abatement efforts. The bill also mandates that the Department report annually to the General Assembly on grant awards, trial progress, and financial status, and this Act will remain in effect for five years, expiring on September 30, 2031.