Veterans Affairs Department of United States (VA), is launching a study to determine if MDMA assisted therapy could help veterans with mental illnesses, such as PTSD and Alcohol Use Disorder.
About 80 veterans will be involved in the study. The results will be compared between participants who are taking MDMA during psychotherapy, and participants who do not receive MDMA.
VA Secretary Doug Collins, in a release to the press on Tuesday, said that we need a “all-of-the above” strategy to improve mental health treatments. The trial was an important step towards evaluating innovative treatments for Veterans who suffer from serious mental disorders.
The VA Providence Healthcare System will conduct the research in Rhode Island. It follows an executive Order President Donald Trump issued last month, which aims to accelerate psychedelic treatment access.
VA press release states that the safety and health of participating veterans is “top priority” for the Department.
The clinical settings will use pharmaceutical-grade drugs, under strict safety and quality protocols, developed in collaboration with the researchers. [the Food and Drug Administration]It states that “structured psychotherapy is included in the setting”.
The release states that “VA strongly disapproves of self-medicating, or trying to substitute other treatment options for mental illness with unprescribed drugs or substances.” VA clinics offer proven, scientifically-supported treatments to Veterans who suffer from mental illness. “Veterans should always seek the advice of their doctors before making any decisions about treatment.”
According to the press release, 19 clinical trials are currently underway at the department, focusing on psychedelic treatments for mental disorders. These studies receive external funding of more than 23 million dollars.
Collins, VA secretary, testified before the Senate hearing on Thursday that, despite the Trump administration’s push for accelerating research, it may take longer to source ibogaine, which is used to study the benefits of this substance.
This has to be done [the Food and Drug Administration] first. “We’ll be ready for that”, he added. “We’ll be prepared for that,” he said.
Secretary noted also that psychedelic therapy is “clinically intensive treatment” which can be expensive to perform.
He said that two psychiatric professionals would need to spend almost 120 hours on each patient. We’re trying to get up-to-speed on this.
The House of Representatives, meanwhile, passed an amendment to a Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) funding bill this month that seeks to raise awareness about the benefits of psychedelic and other therapies for military veterans.
FDA and the HHS last month announced steps that they say will help with “accelerating” therapeutic access to psychedelics for patients dealing with serious mental health conditions.
HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said recently that the Trump administration is “very anxious” to create a pathway for access to psychedelics therapy and that top officials across federal agencies want to “get it out to the public as quickly as possible.”
Kennedy told Joe Rogan Experience that he was confident in his ability to “get it done” and has plans to create and finalize regulations that will allow people with post-traumatic anxiety disorder (PTSD), and depression, to use psychedelic substances such as psilocybin in a very controlled environment.
“Everybody in my agency…is very anxious to get a rule out there that will allow these kind of studies and will allow access under therapeutic settings, particularly [for] “The Secretary of HHS said that the products should be available to soldiers who suffered injuries and have been unable to access them. Now, we’re going through the process. “We’re working together to try and make this happen.”
He added, “I’m confident that we can get this done”.
Last June, Kennedy said his agency is “absolutely committed” to expanding research on the benefits of psychedelic therapy and, alongside of the head of FDA, is aiming to provide legal access to such substances for military veterans “within 12 months.”
Collins disclosed last year that he had an “eye-opening” talk with Kennedy about the therapeutic potential of psychedelic medicine. He said he was open to the idea that the government would provide vouchers for the cost of psychedelic treatment for veterans who received services outside VA, as Congress considered pathways for access.
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