FDA On MDMA-Assisted Psychotherapy

This course page covers the FDA's August 9, 2024 decision not to endorse MDMA-assisted psychotherapy and the request for additional research before reconsideration. It places that decision in the context of the broader discussion around psychedelic-assisted therapies and mental health care. The page also summarizes MDMA's history, including its legal therapeutic use prior to 1985 and its later role as both a recreational substance and a psychotherapy tool. It describes reported effects such as reduced PTSD, depression, and anxiety symptoms when used in a supervised therapeutic context. A further section presents MAPS president Rick Doblin's response to the FDA announcement and references MAPS' 38 years of work in reducing stigma, building evidence, and educating the public about psychedelic-assisted therapies.