The U.S. government has battled with recreational drugs for a long time. However, over the last decade, they have begun to see the medical benefits of these drugs. They even have legalized a few of them. One that is still illegal is MDMA (also referred to as molly). It has typically been known as party drug, oftentimes done at a festival or club. This was until it began being tested on subjects with PTSD and depression.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has now recognized the benefits of the drug with regard to PTSD. It was announced they will be expanding access to the drug, making it easier for patients with PTSD to receive MDMA therapy. The new expanded access program will allow 10 sites across the U.S. to administer the drug.
Under a doctor’s supervision, 50 patients in total at each of these sites can receive the MDMA psychotherapy. This will not only help those patients but if the results come back positive, it will help many more down the road. The drug first became illegal in 1985. One organization, MAPS (the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies), has worked tirelessly since then to reverse the ruling. MAPS founder and executive director Rick Doblin had this to say about the trails:
“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,”
They saw the benefits of the drug far before anyone else. They have now put $26.9 million into clinical trials with a goal to make it a prescription by 2021. Now, wouldn’t that be something? FDA has even given MAPS trials a recognition of being a “breakthrough therapy” due to its promising results.
2021 is a bold move to make MDMA a prescription. Although we have seen such positive results, the U.S. will most likely need more time. I am sure in the next few years we may even see some States legalize it for medical purposes.
