Trial Finds MDMA Effective For PTSD, On Path To FDA Approval

Arthur T Knackerbracket has processed the following story:

The results of a Phase III trial published this week could soon lead to a new era for the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder. The study found that a combination of MDMA and psychotherapy was effective at relieving PTSD symptoms when compared to standard therapy. The nonprofit organization funding this research now plans to seek formal approval of MDMA-assisted therapy from the Food and Drug Administration before the end of the year.

MDMA is short for 3,4-methylenedioxy-methamphetamine. It's a synthetic drug with both stimulant and psychedelic effects. It's been used historically as a recreational drug, going under the nicknames of Molly or Ecstasy. And it's been classified as an illegal controlled substance by the U.S. federal government since the 1980s. But for decades, some psychologists and researchers have experimented with using MDMA as a way to boost the potency of talk therapy, particularly for PTSD.

This once-nascent movement has picked up a lot of steam in the past few years, thanks to promising, if small-scale, research and changing societal attitudes around the legalization of many illicit drugs. Much of this research has been funded and organized by the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS), a nonprofit advocacy group. More recently, MAPS has successfully petitioned the FDA to consider the approval of MDMA-assisted therapy for PTSD. FDA approval of a new use for a drug is typically contingent on positive data from at least two larger Phase III studies-data that now appears to be here for MDMA-assisted therapy.

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