The Food and Drug Administration will be asked to approve MDMA to treat post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) by October — opening the door to the use of hallucinogenic drugs to treat mental illness.
If approved, the drug will be available in hospitals before the second half of next year, according to new research.
MDMA, also known as ecstasy and molly, is a popular drug in rave culture, with people taking it to “connect” with the music and dance the night away.
However, a 2021 clinical trial for the non-profit organization Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS) showed that out of 90 people who suffered from PTSD, those who took MDMA paired with psychotherapy were twice as likely to recover compared to those who did psychotherapy with a placebo, according to the journal Nature.
PTSD is a mental health condition triggered by either experiencing or witnessing a traumatic event, according to Mayo Clinic. Symptoms can include flashbacks, nightmares, severe anxiety and uncontrollable thoughts about the event.
It’s often associated with combat veterans, and even had different names in the past based on the correlation, such as “shell shock” during World War I and “combat fatigue” after World War II.
However, PTSD isn’t exclusive to vets.
The condition affects about 3.5% of adults in the US every year, and the American Psychiatric Association estimates that one in 11 people will be diagnosed with PTSD once in their lifetime. Women are twice as likely to have PTSD than men, and three ethnic groups — US Latinos, African Americans and Native Americans/Alaska Natives — have higher rates of PTSD.
Since the 2021 trial, MAPS has conducted and completed a larger second trial with positive results, and that study will be published in the upcoming months.
After its publication, MAPS will ask the FDA for approval — and scientists believe it will be a smooth process to approval.
“I don’t think there’ll be tricky questions or anything, the results are great,” Rick Doblin, the founder and president of MAPS, said.
Doctors currently try to treat PTSD using psychotherapy and medications such as antidepressants, anti-anxiety medications or Prazosin to help improve symptoms, according to Mayo Clinic.
However, these drugs are not extremely effective for patients with severe PTSD, as results can be short-lived and fade over time.
MDMA is thought to dampen the flight-or-fight response, allowing people to confront their trauma. While PTSD therapies as people to recount a traumatizing event, potentially re-traumatizing them, MDMA should bring out positive emotions and allow patients to make otherwise not obvious connections.
In February, Australia approved the use of MDMA as a treatment for PTSD, though it will be highly restricted.
Scientists hope that the shift toward psychedelic therapy will open the door for more therapeutic psychedelics to be used in the future, such as ketamine, ayahuasca, LSD and psilocybin — the active ingredient in magic mushrooms.