WASHINGTON D.C. — U.S. Sens. Martin Heinrich, D-N.M., and Ben Ray Luján, D-N.M., alongside 17 of their Senate colleagues, urged the U.S. Food and Drug Administration Commissioner to rely on scientific evidence and data as the FDA considers approval of MDMA-Assisted Therapy to treat Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder in a letter dated Aug. 5. MDMA-AT could help address the mental and behavioral crisis, especially among American veterans.
“Existing treatments and medicines for PTSD, the last of which FDA approved nearly 25 years ago, have not decreased the frequency of suicide within the veteran community. As a nation, we cannot allow our veterans to continue to suffer in silence and must identify treatments proven to drastically decrease the adverse effects of PTSD,” Heinrich and Luján said in a letter to FDA Commissioner Robert Califf.
Every year, 6,000 U.S. veterans die by suicide – and untreated mental health challenges, including PTSD, put veterans at heightened risk of homelessness, addiction, and depression. Breakthrough therapies and scientific advancements such as MDMA-AT offer new hope for those suffering from PTSD, but more research is needed to ensure these treatments are safe and effective.
“The potential for groundbreaking advancements in PTSD treatment is within reach, and we owe it to our veterans and other affected populations to review these potentially transformative therapies based on robust clinical and scientific evidence,” the lawmakers stated. "The rigorous, evidence-based review process by the FDA will be critical in making informed decisions that could offer a new lease on life for many individuals, including veterans, affected by this condition.”
In addition to Heinrich and Luján, the letter was signed by U.S. Sens. Michael Bennet, D-Colo., Thom Tillis, R-N.C., Kyrsten Sinema, I-Ariz., Rand Paul, R-Ky., Cory Booker, D-N.J., Catherine Cortez Masto, D-Nev., Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill., John Fetterman, D-Pa., John Hickenlooper, D-Colo., Tim Kaine, D-Va., Ed Markey, D-Mass., Markwayne Mullin, R-Okla., Gary Peters, D-Mich., Kyrsten Sinema, I-Ariz., Thom Tillis, R-N.C., Peter Welch, D-Vt., and Ron Wyden, D-Ore.
By Sen. Martin Heinrich
