Empathogen
3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine
No traditional use - modern synthetic compound used in psychotherapy
At a glance
Reported effects
Legal status
Schedule I, but FDA breakthrough therapy designation for PTSD
Research
Extensive clinical trials for PTSD treatment showing promising results
Mitchell JM, et al. · Nature Medicine · 2023
Phase 3 trial in 104 adults with PTSD: MDMA plus therapy cut symptom scores more than placebo plus therapy (23.7 vs 14.8 points).
What the study foundMitchell JM, et al. · Nature Medicine · 2021
Phase 3 trial in 90 people with severe PTSD: MDMA plus therapy reduced symptoms more than placebo plus therapy at 2 months.
What the study foundDanforth AL, et al. · Psychopharmacology · 2018
Randomised pilot in 12 autistic adults found MDMA-assisted therapy reduced social anxiety more than placebo, with gains holding at six months.
What the study foundMithoefer MC, et al. · Journal of Psychopharmacology · 2011
First randomised pilot of MDMA-assisted psychotherapy: 10 of 12 PTSD patients responded vs 2 of 8 on placebo, without serious drug-related harms.
What the study foundThe dispatch
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