Following the collapse of Kentucky’s proposed $42 million ibogaine research initiative, advocates led by Bryan Hubbard began exploring new opportunities to fund clinical research in other states. Ohio quickly emerged as a potential candidate, in part due to the large pool of opioid settlement funds—estimated at roughly $2 billion over the next 17 years—and the presence of institutions and policymakers interested in addressing the state’s severe opioid crisis.
The proposed strategy includes two possible funding pathways: a public-private partnership supported by the OneOhio Recovery Foundation and a smaller “Pay for Success” program through the Ohio Treasurer’s ResultsOHIO initiative. Both approaches aim to support research and clinical development of ibogaine as a potential treatment for opioid use disorder and related conditions, though significant political, financial, and regulatory hurdles remain before such efforts could move forward.