FDA, Not Down with MDMA

The claim that MDMA can help treat PTSD suffered a bit of a setback this week, as a panel of experts advising the FDA found that there is not enough available evidence to be able to prescribe the drug.

They claimed that the evidence falls short of showing that the drug is effective or that its benefits outweigh the risks. For you squares (kidding!), MDMA is ecstasy. It’s a psychedelic drug, used mostly for partying. 

But there was research that suggested this drug has the unique ability to enhance emotional responses to only positive interactions and not negative, hence its potential as a way to help treat someone’s PTSD. 

I mean, have you ever taken ecstasy and had a bad time?!

Yet, the panel wasn’t convinced. They voted 9-2 that the drug is not effective for treating PTSD. And they voted 10-1 that the benefits don’t outweigh the risks. With that said, the FDA doesn’t have to follow the panel’s recommendation, it just serves as an advisor. Many members of the panel brought up allegations about misconduct and bias in the trials that could have skewed the results in favor of the drug’s usage. 

Currently, there are only two FDA-approved treatments for PTSD, and zero advancements in decades. According to the National Center for PTSD, about 6% of the U.S. population will develop PTSD. So it certainly seems like an area that deserves more attention in potential treatments.