New Zealand Approves MDMA Treatment for Severe PTSD

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Wellington: New Zealand has approved the use of pharmaceutical-grade MDMA to treat severe post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), becoming only the second country after Australia to allow the drug for this purpose.

The approval by medicines regulator Medsafe allows two psychiatrists to prescribe MDMA as part of supervised treatment for adults with severe PTSD.

The treatment will combine MDMA with psychotherapy and must take place in a controlled clinical setting. Patients will not be allowed to take the drug home.

PTSD can develop after traumatic experiences such as combat, sexual assault or witnessing death. Supporters of MDMA-assisted therapy say it can help some patients process traumatic memories and improve the effectiveness of psychotherapy.

Patients must be aged 18 or older and will receive the treatment only under the supervision of authorised psychiatrists as part of a wider care plan.

Australia approved MDMA-assisted therapy for PTSD in 2023. In the United States, regulators have not yet approved the treatment, with the Food and Drug Administration rejecting an application in 2024 over concerns about the available evidence on its safety and effectiveness.