MDMA, the stimulant mood-lifting drug commonly known as ecstasy, could soon transition from party staple to FDA-approved medication — but likely with tight control measures to address its abuse potential and safety risks. On Tuesday, the nonprofit Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS) filed an application seeking FDA approval of MDMA-assisted therapy for post-traumatic stress…
More than a century after its synthesis, MDMA could be headed for FDA approval for PTSD
First synthesized in 1912 by Merck, the empathogenic drug 3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) is inching toward FDA approval following the positive results of a phase 3 study. The recently concluded phase 3 study, MAPP2, published in Nature Medicine, found that MDMA-assisted therapy significantly outperforms traditional talk therapy in reducing PTSD symptoms. Participants receiving MDMA-AT had an 86.5%…
MAPS predicts FDA approval for MDMA-assisted therapy in 2024
The Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS) founder and executive director, Rick Doblin, said in an interview with Fox Business Live that the FDA would approve MDMA-assisted therapy for PTSD in April or May of 2024. Last year, MAPS announced the completion of the MAPP2 Phase 3 study, which is the organization’s second to use MDMA (3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine)…
Debate series considers the therapeutic promise and pitfalls of psychedelics
Intelligence Squared, the organizers of a popular debate series, recently asked a panel of experts whether psychedelics should be legalized. There was considerable overlap between the factions arguing in favor and opposition of that motion, reflecting the growing interest in psychedelic compounds for therapeutic applications. But the two camps were split when it came to…