FDA Advisory Panel Votes Against Using MDMA Drug ‘Ecstasy’ as Treatment for PTSD

FDA advisors cited concerns over clinical data, selection and expectation bias, and the safety risks of MDMA.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in White Oak, Md., on June 5, 2023. Madalina Vasiliu/The Epoch Times

A U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) expert panel on Tuesday voted against recommending midomafetamine (MDMA), commonly known as ecstasy, for the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), citing concerns over clinical trial data, selection bias, and drug safety.

Although the panel’s recommendations are not binding, the FDA often relies on their guidance and will render a final decision in mid-August on whether the illegal mind-altering drug can be legally used as a medical treatment in the United States. If the FDA signs off, it will be the first approved treatment for PTSD in two decades.