Making a medicine out of MDMA.
The British Journal of Psychiatry 2015 DOI: 10.1192/bjp.bp.114.152751 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Review Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | Psychedelic-assisted therapy MDMA |
| Keywords | MDMA Therapy MDMA Treatment Ecstasy therapy MDMA Medical Use MDMA Healing Drug policy reform MDMA Rescheduling Therapeutic drug reclassification Medical drug policy Mental health treatment Psychiatric care PTSD Therapy Mental wellness Healing mental illness |
| Citations | 36 |
| Key findings | There is enough evidence for MDMA to be removed from its Schedule 1 status of 'no medical use' and moved into Schedule 2, enabling its use as a medicine for severe mental illnesses like treatment-resistant PTSD. |
Abstract
From its first use 3,4,-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) has been recognised as a drug with therapeutic potential. Research on its clinical utility stopped when it entered the recreational drug scene but has slowly resurrected in the past decade. Currently there is enough evidence for MDMA to be removed from its Schedule 1 status of 'no medical use' and moved into Schedule 2 (alongside other misused but useful medicines such as heroin and amphetamine). Such a regulatory move would liberate its use as a medicine for patients experiencing severe mental illnesses such as treatment-resistant post-traumatic stress disorder.
Comparable studies
Other narrative reviews on MDMA and psychedelic-assisted therapy, most cited first.
Citations in the library
Cited by 18
- Safety pharmacology of acute MDMA administration in healthy subjects Journal of Psychopharmacology February 21, 2017
- A Review of 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA)-Assisted Psychotherapy Frontiers in Psychiatry March 20, 2019
- Psychedelic drugs—a new era in psychiatry? Dialogues in Clinical Neuroscience June 30, 2019
- Dark Classics in Chemical Neuroscience: 3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine ACS Chemical Neuroscience July 12, 2018
- Why MDMA therapy for alcohol use disorder? And why now? Neuropharmacology November 1, 2018
and 13 more in the library
Cites 12
- The safety and efficacy of {+/-}3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine-assisted psychotherapy in subjects with chronic, treatment-resistant posttraumatic stress disorder: the first randomized controlled pilot study. Journal of Psychopharmacology July 19, 2010
- Subjective Reports of the Effects of MDMA in a Clinical Setting Journal of Psychoactive Drugs October 1, 1986
- Durability of improvement in post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms and absence of harmful effects or drug dependency after 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine-assisted psychotherapy: a prospective long-term follow-up study. Journal of Psychopharmacology 2013
- MDMA enhances emotional empathy and prosocial behavior Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience October 4, 2013
- The Effects of Acutely Administered 3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine on Spontaneous Brain Function in Healthy Volunteers Measured with Arterial Spin Labeling and Blood Oxygen Level–Dependent Resting State Functional Connectivity Biological Psychiatry January 10, 2014
and 7 more in the library