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MDMA

Compound

Non-classical psychedelic empathogen used in assisted therapy, primarily studied for PTSD treatment.

Example: The FDA rejected the first MDMA therapy application in 2024; a quiet resubmission and a new VA veteran trial are both underway now — see our coverage.

What is MDMA?

A non-classical psychedelic empathogen, chemically distinct from classic psychedelics like LSD or psilocybin, primarily studied in a clinical-therapy context for PTSD.

Is MDMA-assisted therapy FDA approved?

Not yet. The FDA rejected the first application (then Lykos Therapeutics) in 2024. A resubmission is now underway under a new name, Rysanso, alongside a new VA veteran trial. See our coverage.

Is MDMA legal?

Schedule I under the Controlled Substances Act — illegal outside approved clinical trials.

What does MDMA do?

Increases release of serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine, producing entactogenic effects — increased sociability, emotional openness, and reduced fear response — which is the basis for pairing it with talk therapy for trauma.

Related Articles

Policy Aug 26, 2026

Psychedelics in Uniform: What the Military Did to Soldiers, and What the VA Is Now Asking of Veterans

The Army spent decades dosing enlisted men with psychedelics they weren't told they were taking. Eighty years later, the VA and Pentagon are running versions of the same experiment again — with consent forms, IRBs, and an executive order behind them.

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