Journal Club: The implementation of MDMA-assisted therapy in Europe

The FDA’s recent decision to reject MDMA-assisted therapy (MDMA-AT) as a treatment for PTSD has come as a surprise for many in the psychedelic science community. The approval of this groundbreaking therapy in the United States was anticipated to be a milestone, paving the way for other countries to approve this treatment, as well as paving the way for the approval of other psychedelic assisted therapies. What factors led to this decision? And what implications does it have for the future of MDMA-assisted therapy in Europe and the broader field of psychedelic science? For this edition, we will be discussing the paper “Expert opinions on implementation MDMA-assisted therapy in Europe: critical appraisal towards training, clinical practice and regulation” by Herpers et al. (2024). Whether you’re well-versed in the progress of MDMA-AT or just beginning to explore the field, this event will surely lead to interesting discussions!

During Journal Clubs we discuss scientific publications related to psychedelics, dissect their contents and have an in-depth discussion about the methodology and implications of the research. Not only is it very insightful (and fun!) to do this in group form; it also helps improve your literacy of scientific publications. All levels of knowledge are welcome. You do not need to be an expert in the topics that are discussed.