VA and HHS sign agreement to expand psychedelic therapy research for veterans

The Departments of Veterans Affairs (VA) and Health and Human Services (HHS) signed an agreement Monday to strengthen coordination on research into psychedelic drugs for treating mental health disorders among veterans.

Under the new memorandum of understanding (MOU), the VA and HHS plan to:

• Increase clinical trial participation
• Train therapists, nurses, and doctors to administer psychedelic medications, should they receive federal approval
• Collect data and evidence to support patients, physicians, and federal regulators in evaluating such treatments

The agreement follows an executive order signed in April by President Donald Trump, which directed the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to accelerate its review of several psychedelic treatments for mental illnesses. The order primarily focused on research for ibogaine—a hallucinogen derived from an African shrub—that some veterans have found helpful in alleviating anxiety, PTSD, and depression symptoms. It commits at least $50 million to expanding ibogaine therapy research.

Studies on PTSD in the general population indicate that up to one-third of patients may be resistant to traditional treatments, with as many as 50% not responding to psychological therapy and 40% unresponsive to common medications.

According to a study released last month by the RAND Corporation, an estimated 4.8 million American veterans have used psychedelic drugs.

Included in Monday’s announcement was the news that the VA also signed an agreement with the FDA to increase collaboration in supporting the development of therapies for serious mental health conditions.

“President Trump opened up a world of possibility for treating veterans and others with mental health conditions, and VA is proud to be part of this important work,” VA Secretary Doug Collins said in a statement. “Today’s MOU ensures effective cooperation with HHS as we try to turn research into life-changing treatment.”

VA researchers are currently involved in more than 20 research trials examining the use of psychedelics such as MDMA and psilocybin for treating severe post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, substance abuse, and other mental health conditions.

Studies are also underway within the Department of Defense. A $4.9 million research study is ongoing at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland, evaluating the effectiveness of MDMA—commonly known as Molly or Ecstasy—for treating mild to moderate PTSD.

According to RAND, the most common hallucinogens used by veterans over their lifetimes include:

• LSD: 19.6% reported use
• Psilocybin (magic mushrooms): 18.6%
• MDMA: 7.7%
• Mescaline: 7.7%

Fewer than 2.9% reported using other hallucinogenic drugs such as ibogaine, ketamine, or ayahuasca.

The study also found that veterans were more likely to support the legal use of psilocybin mushrooms (23%) and LSD (11%), while support for MDMA (9%) was roughly on par with the rest of the country.

Ron Adkins, an Army Reserve intelligence analyst and veterans advocate who deployed twice to Afghanistan, attended Monday’s MOU signing. He emphasized the importance of exploring new approaches to “the complexity of mental illness.”

“The cognitive space is a very complex environment. We are all very different people, so the treatments that might work very well for one person could be wholly ineffective for another,” Adkins said in an interview with Military Times. “I’m hoping we get better answers on what is effective for [veterans] trying to figure this out.”

Over the past decade, U.S. veterans have traveled to Israel, Mexico, and other countries to receive psychedelic treatment for mental health disorders, often paying thousands of dollars out of pocket for the promise of relief. Adkins said that should not happen.

“We need to continue to innovate as we as a nation does,” Adkins said.

In 2024, the FDA rejected a request to approve MDMA for treating PTSD in adults, citing the need for further research on its safety and efficacy. The VA is currently conducting such a study in Providence, Rhode Island.