{"id":604530,"date":"2024-06-03T05:00:00","date_gmt":"2024-06-03T09:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/platohealth.ai\/whats-next-for-mdma\/"},"modified":"2024-06-03T08:31:03","modified_gmt":"2024-06-03T12:31:03","slug":"whats-next-for-mdma","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/platohealth.ai\/whats-next-for-mdma\/","title":{"rendered":"What\u2019s next for MDMA","gt_translate_keys":[{"key":"rendered","format":"text"}]},"content":{"rendered":"
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MIT Technology Review\u2019s What\u2019s Next series looks across industries, trends, and technologies to give you a first look at the future. You can read the rest of them here<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n

MDMA, sometimes called Molly or ecstasy, has been banned in the United States for more than three decades. Now this potent mind-altering drug is poised to become a badly needed therapy for PTSD.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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On June 4, the Food and Drug Administration\u2019s advisory committee will meet to discuss the risks and benefits of MDMA therapy. If the committee votes in favor of the drug, it could be approved to treat PTSD this summer. The approval would represent a momentous achievement for proponents of mind-altering drugs, who have been working toward this goal for decades. And it could help pave the way for FDA approval of other illicit drugs like psilocybin. But the details surrounding how these compounds will make the transition from illicit substances to legitimate therapies are still foggy. <\/p>\n

Here\u2019s what to know ahead of the upcoming hearing. <\/p>\n

What\u2019s the argument for legitimizing MDMA? <\/strong><\/h3>\n

Studies <\/a>suggest the compound can help treat mental-health disorders like PTSD and depression. Lykos, the company that has been developing MDMA as a therapy, looked at efficacy in two clinical trials that included about 200 people with PTSD. Researchers randomly assigned participants to receive psychotherapy with or without MDMA. The group that received MDMA-assisted therapy had a greater reduction in PTSD symptoms. They were also more likely to respond to treatment, to meet the criteria for PTSD remission, and to lose their diagnosis of PTSD.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n