Letter to President Biden from VSOs and Veterans

Dear President Biden,

We, the undersigned veterans and veteran service organizations, write to you on behalf of millions of suffering veterans to express our unwavering support for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) approval of MDMA-Assisted Therapy (MDMA-AT) for the treatment of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).

PTSD is a life-threatening disorder affecting 13 million Americans, with veterans disproportionately bearing the burden. Annually, five out of 100 Americans, ten out of 100 male veterans, and nineteen out of 100 female veterans receive a PTSD diagnosis. This condition severely impacts veterans’ mental health, relationships, and ability to reintegrate into civilian life. Moreover, PTSD is one of the few psychiatric disorders that reliably predicts suicidal ideation, suicide attempts, and suicide mortality, significantly contributing to our nation’s veteran suicide epidemic, which claims between 17 and 44 veteran lives daily. Since 9/11, nearly 150,000 veteran lives have been lost to suicide—21 times the number of U.S. service members lost in post-9/11 warzones.

Traditional treatments often fall short in addressing the complex and persistent symptoms of PTSD, proving ineffective for 40%-60% of those treated. In stark contrast, MDMA-AT has shown unparalleled efficacy. Phase Three clinical trials of MDMA-AT resulted in 71% of participants no longer qualifying for a PTSD diagnosis and 86% of participants experiencing “clinically significant” improvement in their symptoms. MDMA-AT thus offers desperately needed hope for veterans and their families, with the potential to save and drastically improve countless lives over the coming years.

We are confident that if MDMA-AT can be made sufficiently accessible, it will prove to be amongst the most invaluable treatments ever developed to combat the veteran suicide epidemic. A critical initial step is for the FDA to recognize the robust data supporting MDMA-AT and to approve it with effective risk mitigation strategies by August 11. Upon approval, the Department of Veterans Affairs can swiftly begin implementing MDMA-AT within the VA healthcare system. We appreciate the proactive measures VA leadership has taken on this front in response to the clear demand from the veteran community.

Yet, significant work remains to ensure our veterans can safely and equitably access this groundbreaking treatment. We urge your administration to foster cooperation across various departments and agencies and to ensure all necessary resources are provided to unlock the full potential of MDMA-AT. We know you agree that apathy is not an option when it comes to the health and well-being of our nation’s veterans, who deserve the best possible treatments for their invaluable service to our country.

Sincerely,