Veterans call on FDA to approve MDMA treatment

WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) – Lawmakers on Capitol Hill are calling on the FDA to approve psychedelic-assisted therapy for veterans with PTSD.

“This just represents one day of veterans’ suicides,” Heroic Hearts Project Founder Jesse Gould said, holding a handful of dog tags.

Former Army Ranger Jesse Gould laid 17 dog tags on an exhibit outside the Capitol.

The pile of about 150,000 represents the number of veteran suicides since 9/11.

“Enough is enough,” Gould said.

Gould and other veterans joined lawmakers on Capitol Hill to shed light on the problem and support a new treatment option for PTSD.

“MDMA-assisted therapy in particular has shown great promise,” Marine Corps Veteran and Medal of Honor recipient Dakota Meyer said.

Meyer says MDMA, commonly known as ecstasy, was the only thing that helped his PTSD after serving in Iraq and Afghanistan.

“It lifts the heavy burden, transforming you from a  chaos in a downtown New York City rush hour into the calmness of a quiet country road,” Meyer said.

Other veterans say it helped them, too.

“Can I have a hand of those veterans that have gone through this therapy, that believe it has saved their lives,” Rep. Lou Correa (D-Calif.) said as several veterans at the press conference raised their hands.

Most of those veterans received the treatment overseas. It’s not currently approved in the US, and an FDA advisory committee last month recommended against approval, calling its effectiveness unproven.

That hasn’t stopped lawmakers, like Michigan Republican Congressman Jack Bergman, from supporting the treatment.

“I’m confident their recommendation, however, will just be a speed bump,” Bergman said.

The FDA will take an official vote on the treatment in August. Correa wants to see it approved.

“FDA, do your job. Take care of our veterans,” Correa said.

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