New Zealand approves party-drug MDMA for treating patients with PTSD
Two psychiatrists in New Zealand can now prescribe MDMA in controlled clinical settings, built on trial results that have been challenged in the US.
New Zealand's pharmaceutical regulatory body, Medsafe, has given approval for the use of MDMA in treating severe post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). This decision follows Australia's approval in 2023 of using psychedelics, including MDMA, for PTSD and treatment-resistant depression. New Zealand's deputy prime minister, David Seymour, expressed his support for the approval, stating that MDMA can be very effective in treating PTSD through psychedelic-assisted therapy.
The country is committed to opening up access to innovative treatments, Seymour added. PTSD is a mental health condition that develops after experiencing or being threatened by traumatic events such as death, combat, or sexual assault. Currently, there are limited pharmaceutical treatment options for PTSD in the US, with response rates to antidepressants varying.
A study from Israel last year suggested that MDMA taken by partygoers at a music festival following a terrorist attack was helpful in reducing the trauma endured. The Wellington Ministry of Health emphasized that MDMA-assisted treatment would be combined with psychotherapy and that patients would not be supplied drugs to take home.
Treatment would take place in a controlled clinical setting under the care of an authorized psychiatrist as part of a comprehensive treatment plan. Patients must be at least 18 years old to receive the treatment.
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