Active-duty soldiers to receive MDMA therapy for PTSD next year

Active-duty U.S. soldiers suffering from PTSD are set to receive MDMA-assisted therapy next year, following funding approval from the Department of Defense (DoD). In two studies, 186 service personnel will participate in multiple therapy sessions aimed at helping them process trauma. Sean O’Keefe, the deputy under secretary of war for personnel and readiness, is closely monitoring the research, as a new group of DoD and Veterans Affairs (VA) therapists prepares to begin training in psychedelic-assisted therapy this week.

Rick Doblin, founding president of the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (Maps), stated, "Helping people process trauma, whoever they are, is probably better than not." The funding for these studies was authorized as part of the National Defense Authorization Act signed by former President Joe Biden in December 2023, with support from Republican Congressman Morgan Luttrell, who emphasized that service members deserve every tool available to heal.

The studies will be the first to officially investigate the effects of psychedelics on soldiers. MDMA therapy is anticipated to provide a more effective means of addressing mental health issues compared to past treatments. However, concerns have been raised regarding the potential use of psychedelics to enhance combat readiness, with ethnobotanist Dennis McKenna warning against the ethical implications of returning soldiers to combat after treatment.

The studies, which could begin recruiting volunteers later this year, involve grants of $4.9 million each to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center and Emory University. At Walter Reed, 91 military personnel will receive three separate MDMA doses over ten months, during which they will not be deployed. If successful, MDMA-assisted therapy could become a standard treatment within the military.

Doblin suggested that access to psychedelic therapy should be integrated into military training to help soldiers process emotional issues early on. Psychologist Rachel Yehuda noted that such treatment could lead to transformative experiences, potentially reaffirming or questioning a soldier's sense of mission.

Power Read: The introduction of MDMA therapy for active-duty soldiers marks a significant shift in military mental health treatment, potentially enhancing the effectiveness of service members while addressing the growing PTSD crisis. This initiative could strengthen the military's capacity to maintain troop readiness, but it also raises ethical questions about the use of psychedelics to prepare soldiers for combat. The military's willingness to explore these therapies may position it as a leader in innovative mental health solutions, while exposing the complexities of balancing combat readiness with the well-being of service members.

What to watch: The upcoming recruitment for the MDMA studies and the initial results of the therapy sessions will be critical in determining the future of psychedelic treatments in the military.