News Brief: MDMA therapy for PTSD.

MDMA-assisted therapy reduces symptoms and functional impairment in people with moderate to severe PTSD. In a confirmatory randomized controlled trial with 104 participants, 71% of those receiving MDMA no longer met criteria for a PTSD diagnosis, compared with 48% in the placebo group. The findings add to evidence that MDMA is a safe and effective treatment for PTSD. MDMA was used in psychotherapy until 1985, when it became a Schedule 1 drug, but may soon be considered for FDA approval.

Study at a glance

Abstract

MDMA therapy for PTSD. Those suffering from posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) may have a new treatment option—psychedelic therapy. In a confirmatory randomized controlled trial with 104 participants, researchers found that 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA)-assisted therapy reduced symptoms and functional impairment in people with moderate to severe PTSD. Their findings add to a growing body of evidence that MDMA, commonly known as Ecstasy or Molly, is a safe and effective treatment for PTSD. Participants who received MDMA had significantly better outcomes than those who received placebo, with 71% no longer meeting criteria for a PTSD diagnosis compared with 48% in the placebo group. MDMA was used in psychotherapy until 1985 when the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration designated it a Schedule 1 drug, making its distribution and use illegal. That may change soon. According to the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies, with the results of this and preceding studies, “MDMA-assisted therapy for PTSD is on track to be considered for approval by the FDA in 2024.”