The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has officially Expanded Access to make it easier for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) patients to receive MDMA therapy. The popular recreational drug has been known to be extremely effective for treating PTSD.
Under the FDA’s Expanded Access program, 10 sites across the United States can apply for approval to administer the drug. This, of course, must happen under a doctor’s supervision. Starting off, 50 patients will be allowed MDMA-assisted psychotherapy treatment to gain real world results.
Since MDMA became illegal in 1985, the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS) has worked toward reversing the ban. The organization has put millions of dollars toward clinical trials, with the new goal of making MDMA prescription by 2021.
MAPS founder and executive director Rick Doblin said of the recent progress:
We commend FDA for recognizing the great unmet medical need of PTSD by allowing access to MDMA-assisted psychotherapy on a compassionate basis for people with treatment-resistant PTSD. We are delighted to begin generating real-world evidence about this potential new treatment.
Source: Vice