Is MDMA-Assisted Psychotherapy an Effective Treatment for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)?

Objective: The objective of this selective EBM review is to determine whether or not MDMA-assisted psychotherapy is an effective treatment for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Study Design: Systematic review of three published, randomized controlled trials (double-blind, placebo-controlled) between 2008-2013. Data Sources: All articles used were published in English, in peer-reviewed journals, and found using PubMed/MEDLINE and Cochrane Review databases. Outcomes Measured: The primary outcome measure in all three studies was the severity of PTSD symptoms. The primary outcome measure was assessed using the Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale (CAPS) and the Severity of Symptoms Scale for PTSD (SSSPTSD). Results: All trials demonstrated a larger group mean reduction in CAPS/SSSPTSD scores for the MDMA group compared to the placebo group. One study found these results to be statistically significant (P = 0.015) and a considerable clinical response was seen with the MDMA-AP group with a NNT of 2. Conclusions: Based on the studies, all reported that the use of MDMA-AP reduced group mean scores from baseline to a larger extent than placebo. Although the studies showed a similar outcome, further studies with larger, heterogeneous sample sizes need to be performed to assess the safety and efficacy of MDMA-AP as a treatment for PTSD