--- description: The Food and Drug Administration has approved the use of ecstasy in large-scale trials as a treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder title: FDA Approves Large-Scale Trial of Ecstasy as PTSD Treatment image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltde093bcdab65f2d0/6988d9b9bc6cfc69913e2a3c/time-logo.jpg?branch=production --- * [Health](/section/health/) ## Health Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close * [Drugs](/tag/drugs/) ## Drugs Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close # A Large Study of Ecstasy for PTSD Gets the Green Light by [Suyin Haynes](/author/suyin-haynes/) ## Suyin Haynes Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Nov 30, 2016 3:50 PM CUT by [Suyin Haynes](/author/suyin-haynes/) ## Suyin Haynes Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Nov 30, 2016 3:50 PM CUT The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the use of MDMA in large-scale trials as a treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). [Small scale studies](http://content.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,2004887,00.html?iid=sr-link1 "undefined") have previously used the drug, also known as the party-drug ecstasy, to alleviate some of the symptoms of PTSD. As reported by the [_New York_ _Times_,](http://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/29/us/ptsd-mdma-ecstasy.html?%5Fr=0 "undefined") the FDA green lit a Phase 3 clinical trial, which is significant as it marks the final stage of testing before it can be submitted for approval as a prescription drug. Dr. Charles R. Marmar, the head of psychiatry at New York University’s Langone School of Medicine and a leading PTSD researcher, told the _Times_ that he was “cautious but hopeful.” [Study participants](http://jop.sagepub.com/content/early/2012/08/29/0269881112456611.abstract "undefined") have previously reported significant improvements in their condition following a course of MDMA therapy, and researchers have been optimistic about the future of the drug as a form of treatment. “If they can keep getting good results, it will be of great use,” Marmar said. However, he also voiced some caution, which was echoed by other reactions to the FDA’s approval. “It’s a feel-good drug, and we know people are prone to abuse it,” he said. Through a spokeswoman, the FDA declined to comment to the _Times_, citing regulations that prohibit disclosing information about drugs that are being developed. \[[_NYT_](http://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/29/us/ptsd-mdma-ecstasy.html?%5Fr=0 "undefined")\] ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/4586014/fda-ecstasy-mdma-ptsd-treatment-trial/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/4586014/fda-ecstasy-mdma-ptsd-treatment-trial/"},"headline":"A Large Study of Ecstasy for PTSD Gets the Green Light","datePublished":"2016-11-30T15:50:21.000Z","dateModified":"2026-02-23T02:03:17.836Z","description":"The Phase 3 trial is last step on the way to approval as a prescription drug","url":"https://time.com/4586014/fda-ecstasy-mdma-ptsd-treatment-trial/","keywords":["Drugs","Food and Drug Administration","ecstasy"],"thumbnailUrl":"","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Suyin Haynes","jobTitle":null,"url":"https://time.com/author/suyin-haynes/"}],"articleSection":"Health","image":[],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"/section/health/","name":"Health"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"/tag/drugs/","name":"Drugs"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/4586014/fda-ecstasy-mdma-ptsd-treatment-trial/","name":"A Large Study of Ecstasy for PTSD Gets the Green Light"}}]}] ```