The Department of Veterans Affairs is launching a clinical trial evaluating methylenedioxymethamphetamine-assisted therapy, or MDMA-assisted therapy, for veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder and alcohol use disorder.
The trial will enroll approximately 80 veterans, comparing outcomes between participants receiving MDMA-assisted therapy and those receiving identical psychotherapy with an active placebo, according to a May 26 VA news release. The VA said it plans to share trial data with the Food and Drug Administration.
The randomized, placebo-controlled trial will take place at VA Providence (R.I.) Healthcare System. Veterans will be recruited from the Providence campus and VA Connecticut Healthcare System in West Haven.
The trial follows President Donald Trump’s executive order on Accelerating Medical Treatments for Serious Mental Illness, which aims to increase clinical trial participation and accelerate research and drug approvals for psychedelic therapies.
The VA said it is involved in 19 active clinical trials centered on psychedelic therapies for mental health conditions, supported by more than $23 million in external funding.
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