Is there science behind psychedelic drugs and PTSD?

(blog post 2)

When soldiers come home from war they can only hope for a normal life.   There is a large number of soldiers coming home from Afghanistan and Iraq wars with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). There has also been a spike in suicides among veterans and  veterans commit suicide every 80 minutes.  With this number being so high, the VA (veteran affairs) needs to look into more mental health solutions but what if science has shown that ecstasy works, how do we get around the drug laws to help these soldiers to have a normal life?

With current treatments for PTSD not being effective for veterans Michael Mithoefer wanted to find other alternatives for veterans.  Michael Mithoefer, a psychiatrist in Charleston, S.C., started his study of Ecstasy-assisted therapy for post-traumatic stress disorder  and found in his 2010 study that 83% of PTSD patients treated with MDMA-assisted psychotherapy were cured, compared to 25% of those treated with psychotherapy alone. Then when the follow-up study was conducted, the results showed that the patients treated with MDMA had remained symptom-free, showing that this treatment gives positive results for the long-term.  This study shows that the drug once used for parties, could be used by veterans with PTSD in therapy sessions. Giving the patient a chance to re-live their experience in a safe environment. 

Though past research as proven successful, there still needs to be more research conducted on MDMA use for veterans with PTSD. There have been several studies showing that MDMA can have negative effects too. Dr. Eugene  Kiyatkin's study showed moderate doses of pure MDMA can be lethal to rats. Michael Mithoefer argued against this, stating the only negative effects seen in the controlled setting with pure MDMA are slightly elevated blood pressure and pulse. 

The evidence from the Drug Enforcement Agency had reported that 13% of Molly seized in New York from 2009-2013 didn't even contain MDMA. What does this say about the research being conducted? While the patients obtain the street drug, what are they really getting themselves into and what other drugs are not being accounted for in the studies?  For this study to be fully beneficial in proving MDMA is effective, the study may have to obtain their own Ecstasy or create it in a lab, to make sure that it is 100% MDMA with nothing else in it.  It also is like playing the game Russian roulette.  Is the FDA really going to take the chance to approve MDMA in therapy sessions for PTSD?  If we really think about the future of these studies, I can't imagine it ever being fully approved and if this is the case what is the point in further research? 

There will always be limitations to a study but if future studies could get the proper approval and bring this to political discussions, we could have better control over what the substance contains and have training in the new therapy.   

Do you think there should be further research done on MDMA and PSTD?  Or, do you think that there are to many ethical issues?  Would you want to be a part of the future research?