The FDA concluded on April 30 that the study was “reasonably safe to proceed as currently written,” but also offered some safety recommendations (PDF).
The FDA will need to approve some small additional amendments, which we expect they will, then the protocol will be submitted for review by the Institutional Review (Ethics) Board at Harbor-UCLA/LA Biomed,” Burge told Raw Story. “These hurdles aren’t really obstacles, but they are necessary processes for conducting careful research.”
The study also faces another hurdle: money.
“Since no major foundations or government agencies have yet been willing to fund research into the possible therapeutic uses of MDMA or other psychedelics, we are seeking to raise the entire $256,000 we need for the study from individuals who understand the importance and potential of the research,” Burge said.
A similar MAPS-sponsored study, published last year in the peer-reviewed Journal of Psychopharmacology, found MDMA could help those suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder. One rape survivor told CNN the drug helped her cope with trauma by allowing her to “control where I was thinking and going, and look at things differently.”
Article Appeared @http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2013/05/22/fda-approves-first-study-on-ecstasy-assisted-therapy-for-social-anxiety-in-autistic-adults/