Israel also has research in the works that looks really good. Here's some balanced writing on the ongoing research in Israel.
Israel Approves Compassionate Use of MDMA to Treat PTSD
MDMA, popularly known as ecstasy, is a drug more commonly associated with raves and nightclubs than a therapist's office.
Emerging research has shown promising results in using this "party drug" to treat patients suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder, and Israel's Health Ministry has just approved the use of MDMA to treat dozens of patients.
MDMA is classified in Israel as a "dangerous drug", recreational use is illegal, and therapeutic use of MDMA has yet to be formally approved and is still in clinical trials.
However, this treatment is deemed as "compassionate use," which allows drugs that are still in development to be made available to patients outside of a clinical trial due to the lack of effective alternatives.
By flooding the central nervous system with serotonin, MDMA produces strong feelings of euphoria, which can last over eight hours. It is considered a popular party drug because it keeps revelers awake and energetic.
MDMA will be administered to about 50 patients in the approved program who have been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder in the course of psychiatric treatment.
In three out of 15 planned sessions, patients will be administered MDMA by specially trained staff at one of four hospitals around the country: Rambam Medical Center in Haifa and psychiatric hospitals in Be’er Yaakov, Lev Hasharon and Be’er Sheva.
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Beyond the group of 50 patients that will undergo treatment, third-stage clinical trials are set to begin. In the trials, MDMA will be administered to hundreds of PTSD patients at 16 medical centers worldwide, including in Israel.
The Israeli study, which will take place at Sheba Medical Center at Tel Hashomer and the psychiatric hospital in Be’er Yaakov, will involve 14 patients. However, there is a waiting list of 600 people suffering from PTSD – from a range of traumas including military combat, abuse, sexual assault, and traffic accidents – who are eager to take part in this medical trial, which is the second of its kind in Israel.
The previous trial, which was conducted at the Be’er Yaakov hospital, involved ten patients in Israel as part of a global trial involving 107 people. The results were promising and were the basis for declaring MDMA a “breakthrough treatment.” A year after the trials, 68 percent of patients experience a dramatic decrease in symptoms, and some were completely asymptomatic.
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www.haaretz.com
