MAPS sent a letter today to NIDA Director Nora Volkow, Ph.D., responding to a November 18, 2003 letter from Dr. Volkow to Rick Doblin. This exchange of letters was part of a package of material that MAPS sent today to members of NIDA’s National Advisory Council on Drug Abuse (NACDA) requesting that NACDA recommend to NIDA that it release information about the MDMA research of Dr. Ricaurte.
Dr. Volkow indicated in her thoughtful but careful letter that she didn’t think it was necessary for NIDA to proactively release the information about the MDMA research of Dr. Ricaurte that MAPS requested and noted that MAPS will obtain some information as a result of its Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request. In reply, Rick Doblin noted that, ” NIDA should be forthcoming with the information requested. To do otherwise leaves the impression that NIDA is not actively and aggressively trying to clear up this disturbing episode that has damaged the credibility of NIDA’s educational efforts regarding the risks of MDMA and other illegal drugs.”