MDMA has proven to be extremely effective for treating PTSD. Results from the latest study are astounding — boasting a 76% success rate.
The report on the Phase 2 clinical trial, posted by the Journal of Psychopharmacology, details the MDMA-assisted psychotherapy treatment patients endured. The recent trial looked at 28 people, all with clinically diagnosed post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), which had previously gone through all types of conventional treatments. On average, patients had suffered from PTSD for 30 years.
The procedure was set up similar to MAPS trials — two days of MDMA treatment sessions, followed by integrative therapy sessions. Then, a third MDMA session offered to evaluate long-term responses. After 12 months, the results were remarkable.
The patients were evaluated by the Clinician Administered PTSD Scale (CAPS-IV), which assesses PTSD. On average before MDMA-assisted psychotherapy treatment, the participants had a CAPS-IV score of 92 (which isn’t ideal). When the follow up came around a year later, the average CAPS-IV score was just 31 in the same patients — a score that doesn’t reflect clinical diagnosis of PTSD.
It’s a huge win for researchers pushing for MDMA-assisted psychotherapy treatment. However, the journey to get the method FDA-approved isn’t over. After Stage 2 comes Stage 3 trials, which just began in September 2018.
Potential FDA approval of the treatment could come as soon as 2021 testing continues to go this well.
H/T: New Atlas | Sources: MAPS, Psychedelic Support | Study: Journal of Pharmacology
