27 Jul Veterans Lobby for Psychedelic Therapy, but Will It Influence MDMA’s Approval?

By Associated Press, Medpage Today

It was a landmark moment for the psychedelic movement: The VA’s top doctor stood on stage, praising advocates who have spent decades promoting the healing potential of mind-altering drugs.

In an unannounced appearance at a New York psychedelic conference, VA Under-Secretary for Health Shereef Elnahal, MD, said his agency was ready to start rolling out midomafetamine (MDMA)-assisted therapy for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) as soon as regulators approved it.

“The VA has to be first, as we have been, with the mental health needs of our veterans,” Elnahal told attendees at the May meeting. He also highlighted the “awesome, groundbreaking” research on the drug by MAPS, or the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies, the leading nonprofit advocating for the medical and legal use of hallucinogenic drugs. Read more…