Common side effects of MDMA-assisted psychotherapy
Neuropsychopharmacology May 13, 2024 DOI: 10.1038/s41386-024-01873-8 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Review Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Intervention | MDMA-assisted psychotherapy |
| Topics | MDMA Psychedelic-assisted therapy |
| Keywords | Psychotherapist Hallucinogen Medline |
| Key findings | MDMA-assisted psychotherapy is safe and effective for PTSD and other psychiatric indications, with regulatory progress in the U.S. and Australia. |
Abstract
MDMA-assisted psychotherapy has emerged as a potential treatment for psychiatric illnesses, with findings from clinical trials in the last decade demonstrating safety and efficacy in the treatment of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), among other psychiatric indications. Earlier this year (2024), the Food and Drug Administration in the United States granted priority review for a new drug application involving MDMA-assisted psychotherapy for PTSD, which followed their Breakthrough Therapy designation for MDMA-assisted psychotherapy in 2017 [ 1 ]. In addition, the Australian Therapeutic Goods Administration has authorized MDMA prescriptions for PTSD, making Australia the first country to recognize medical uses for MDMA [ 2 ]. Beyond PTSD, evidence from clinical trials indicates that MDMA-assisted psychotherapy is safe, tolerable, and effective in patients with alcohol use disorder, autism, and end-of-life anxiety [ 3 ].