VA Funds Ivy League Study on MDMA for PTSD and Alcohol Abuse Treatment

For the first time since the 1960s, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is providing funding for research related to the therapeutic potential of psychedelic substances, specifically MDMA, for mental health conditions such as alcohol use disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

This week Tuesday, researchers at Brown and Yale institutions have been awarded a grant of up to $1.5 million over a five-year period by the Veterans Administration (VA).. The investigation will investigate the impact of MDMA-assisted therapy on the symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and alcohol misuse in veterans. This represents a substantial stride in the direction of the development of innovative therapies to address treatment-resistant mental health conditions.

The nonprofit Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS) has conducted prior research that has yielded promising results. 71% of participants no longer met diagnostic criteria for PTSD by the conclusion of the study, and 87% of participants experienced significant symptom improvements within four months of MDMA-assisted therapy in their trials.

Nevertheless, the federal approval process has encountered impediments. MAPS's clinical trial methodologies were the subject of concern from a federal advisory panel earlier this year, as they were suspected to have inflated outcomes. In accordance with the panel's recommendation to postpone approval, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) requested additional clinical trials.

Earlier this year, federal approval of MDMA-assisted therapy encountered a setback as a federal advisory panel expressed concerns regarding the clinical trial methods employed by MAPS, indicating that the results might have been exaggerated.

Tuesday’s announcement signifies the VA’s inaugural psychedelic research initiative in more than half a century. The ongoing study will take place at VA medical centers located in Providence, Rhode Island, and West Haven, Connecticut.