Psychedelic drug MDMA eases PTSD symptoms in a study that paves the way for possible US approval - Times of India
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The psychedelic drug MDMA can reduce symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder, researchers reported in a new study published Thursday. The company sponsoring the research said it plans later this year to seek US approval to market the drug, also known as ecstasy, as a PTSD treatment when combined with talk therapy . “It’s the first innovation in PTSD treatment in more than two decades. And it’s significant because I think it will also open up other innovation,” said Amy Emerson, CEO of MAPS Public Benefit Corporation, the research sponsor. Earlier this year, Australia became the first country to allow psychiatrists to prescribe MDMA and psilocybin, the psychoactive ingredient in psychedelic mushrooms. The drugs are gaining wider cultural acceptance in the US in part because of efforts by the nonprofit advocacy group Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies. For the new study, researchers measured symptoms in 104 people with PTSD who were randomly assigned