Journal of Psychopharmacology
October 31, 2012
Peter Oehen, Rafael Traber, Verena Widmer et al.
407 citations
MDMA-assisted psychotherapy for treatment-resistant PTSD can be safely administered in a clinical setting. In a randomized, double-blind, active-placebo controlled pilot trial, 12 patients received either a low dose (25 mg plus 12.5 mg supplemental) or a full dose (125 mg plus 62.5 mg supplemental) of MDMA during three experimental sessions, combined with weekly non-drug psychotherapy. No serious drug-related adverse events occurred. While clinician-rated PTSD symptoms (CAPS) did not show statistically significant reductions (p = 0.066), self-reported improvement (PDS) was clinically and statistically significant (p = 0.014). CAPS scores further improved at one-year follow-up, and three MDMA sessions were more effective than two (p = 0.016).
Journal of Psychopharmacology
October 8, 2020
Yasmin Schmid, Peter Gasser, Peter Oehen et al.
82 citations
Lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) and 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) are being reinvestigated as treatments for psychiatric disorders. In Switzerland, a compassionate use program allowed 18 patients (12 women, 6 men, aged 29–77) with posttraumatic stress disorder and major depression to receive LSD (100–200 µg) or MDMA (100–175 mg) in group settings from 2014–2018. Drug-assisted sessions occurred about every 3.5 months after 3–10 psychotherapy sessions. LSD produced pronounced alterations of consciousness and mystical-type experiences, with effects largely comparable to those in patients or healthy subjects treated alone in research settings. The data may inform further controlled studies of substance-assisted psychotherapy.
Frontiers in Psychiatry
April 25, 2022
Peter Oehen, Peter Gasser
70 citations
In Switzerland, a restricted medical use of scheduled psychotropic drugs is permitted for treatment-resistant conditions with preliminary evidence of efficacy. Since 2014, clinicians have obtained 50 licenses and developed a psychedelic-assisted group therapy model using MDMA and LSD. Most patients had chronic complex post-traumatic stress disorder (c-PTSD), dissociative, and other post-traumatic disorders. The model uses MDMA first to enhance motivation and therapeutic alliance, then introduces LSD to deepen processing once emotional regulation and trauma tolerance improve. Most participants improved by clinical judgment, with no serious adverse events. C-PTSD required more psychedelic sessions than single-trauma PTSD. Recurrent depression was a frequent problem needing special attention.
Journal of psychopharmacology (Oxford, England)
June 10, 2025
Torsten Passie, Anja Loizaga-Velder, Alicia Danforth et al.
4 citations
A consensus-based model curriculum for education and training in substance-assisted psychotherapy (SAP) covers theoretical topics and practical components including apprenticeship observation, ongoing clinical supervision, and self-experience for trainees. The model, developed by authors with extensive SAP experience, also addresses peer and conventional supervision, respect for intercultural differences, and teachings about indigenous use of related substances. It is largely adapted to western industrialized countries with established graduate-level psychotherapy training. The curriculum may be valuable for psychedelic researchers, those training therapists for research studies, and those preparing for clinical work outside research settings.
BMJ open
May 11, 2026
Julia Colcott, Alexandre A Guerin, Olivia Carter et al.
A new tool, the MDMA-Assisted Psychotherapy Side Effects Tool (M-SET), was developed to systematically capture side effects during MDMA-assisted psychotherapy. Experts in MDMA-AP and neuropsychopharmacology participated in a two-round online Delphi process to refine a list of 165 items across four questionnaires covering screening, baseline, medication session days, and follow-up. The tool aims to improve safety monitoring and build a more robust evidence base on the tolerability of MDMA-AP for research and clinical use.