A Department of Defense (DoD)-funded clinical trial will study MDMA-assisted therapy paired with Massed Prolonged Exposure for PTSD in active-duty service members.
For decades, MDMA lived far outside the walls of official medicine. Let alone the U.S. military.
That wall just moved.
The U.S. Department of Defense is funding a $4.9 million clinical trial investigating MDMA-assisted therapy for post-traumatic stress disorder in active-duty service members, marking a notable shift in how far psychedelic research has traveled into the federal mainstream.
The study is led by researchers at Emory University and the STRONG STAR Consortium, and is examining the safety and potential benefits of MDMA-assisted therapy combined with Massed Prolonged Exposure, an evidence-based PTSD treatment commonly used in military settings.
A first for active-duty troops
While MDMA-assisted therapy has been studied for years in civilian PTSD populations, this trial is among the first to focus specifically on active-duty personnel within a Department of Defense-funded research framework.
That distinction matters.
Active-duty service members face unique barriers to mental health care, including stigma, career consequences and limited treatment options. A DoD-funded investigation signals growing institutional recognition that existing tools are not sufficient for everyone.
Filling a gap the grant didn’t cover
Notably, while the Department of Defense funded the research itself, the grant did not include funding to train therapists in MDMA-assisted therapy, a highly specialized and investigational approach that requires careful preparation.
That gap was filled by the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS), which provided clinician training at no cost through philanthropic support.
MAPS’ role was limited but practical. Preparing therapists to safely participate in the study. The organization is not conducting the trial and does not maintain a formal relationship with the Department of Defense, according to its announcement.
“Training is foundational to the success and safety …
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Author: High Times / High Times
