‘Dead wrong’: Lawmakers, advocates decry rejection of MDMA-assisted therapy by FDA panel

Hill June 6, 2024
Taylor Giorno

A Food and Drug Administration (FDA) panel’s surprising recommendation this week to reject the use of MDMA, commonly known as ecstasy, to treat PTSD was a blow to advocates and lawmakers who champion the treatment as a game changer for mental health in the United States.

The FDA, which designated MDMA-assisted therapy as a “breakthrough therapy” in 2017, is considering an application by Lykos Therapeutics to approve the proposed treatment for PTSD.

The proposed treatment is the first time the U.S. has considered a Schedule I drug — those considered to have a high potential for abuse such as heroin and LSD — for medical use and, if approved, would be the first new treatment for PTSD in several...

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