Most recent update on this conference

MAPS sponsored an international conference on the clinical use of MDMA, August 31 and September 1, 1999, which brought together scientists from eight countries, including a representative of every team in the world that has administered MDMA or MDE to human subjects. The conference provided information to Israeli regulators needed in determining whether to grant permission for a pilot study of MDMA in the treatment of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. MAPS is seeking to sponsor this study at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, in association with Dr. Moshe Kotler and Dr. Adam Darnell. The conference encouraged the exchange of information and collaboration between research teams around the world.

In addition to the neurotoxicity research, scientists presented data from studies comparing MDMA using ravers with non-MDMA using control groups who had used cannabis or no drugs. The only functional differences found were in the areas of certain subsets of memory, with the MDMA using group performing somewhat lower. The consensus was that these difference were statistically significant but clinically insignificant, meaning that neither the subjects nor the testers could tell the groups apart in normal social situations or in life performance. In addition, evidence was presented from animal research that showed conclusively that neurotoxicity (serotonin reductions that are asymptomatic) is related to temperature. This research invalidates risk assessments for clinical research based on ravers who take MDMA in high-ambient temperatures, exercise vigorously, and sometimes do not consume sufficient fluids.

The consensus of the conference was that MDMA research in humans is important, that it can be conducted safely, that there are sufficient anecdotal reports and case histories of the therapeutic use of MDMA to justify research into the therapeutic use of MDMA, that the risk of neurotoxicity is clearly outweighed by potential benefits in patients who are either terminal or have failed on conventional medications, and that international collaboration, data sharing, protocol critiques and letters of support to national regulatory bodies is valuable and will be facilitated by MAPS.

Conference agenda:

Therapeutic Uses
George Greer, MD
Structuring Psychotherapy Sessions with MDMA in a Research Context

Juraj Styk, MD and Sonja Styk, MD
Swiss Society of Physicians for Psycholytic Therapy
Review of clinical issues in MDMA-assisted psychotherapy, based on their use of MDMA with patients from 1988-1993 in Switzerland

Deborah Mash, Ph.D.
University of Miami, Florida.
Ibogaine research in cocaine addicts, United States, St. Kitts and Israel (This talk was included since there are some issues common to the therapeutic use of MDMA and ibogaine.)

Raphael Mechoulam, MD
Hebrew University, Israel.
Clinical research with cannabinoids (This talk was included because there are some policy and protocol design issues common to the therapeutic use of MDMA and cannabinoids.)

Phase 1 Studies

Charles Grob, MD - Harbor UCLA Medical Center.
University of California, Los Angeles.
MDMA dose-response Phase 1 safety study

Jordi Cami, MD, Ph.D.
Institut Muncipal d'Investigacions Mediques - Barcelona, Spain.
Phase 1 MDMA safety study

Franz Vollenweider, MD - University of Zuerich, Switzerland.
Phase 1 MDMA Safety study in MDMA-naive subjects

Reese Jones, MD - University of California, San Francisco.
MDMA Pharmacokinetics

John Henry, Ph.D. - Imperial College School of Medicine.
MDMA clinical research in England

Drug Discrimination and Focused Safety Studies

Efi Gouzoulis, MD - Psychiatric Department of the Technical University (RWTH) - Aachen, Germany.
Evidence from MDE research showing MDE, MDMA, etc. could belong to a new class of substances, the entactogens, and studies of memory in MDMA users v. controls

Manny Tancer, MD - Wayne State Medical School - Michigan.
MDMA drug discrimination studies

Magi Farre, MD, Ph.D. - Institut Muncipal d'Investigacions Mediques.
Study of MDMA and alcohol

Alex Gamma - University of Zuerich, Switzerland.
MDMA and PET

Wim Riedel, Ph.D. - University of Maastricht, The Netherlands.
Proposed study of MDMA and driving, cognitive and psychomotor performance

Neurotoxicity

Franz Vollenweider, MD - University of Zuerich, Switzerland.
MDMA PET scan study results

Alex Gamma - University of Zuerich, Switzerland.
MDMA EEG study results

Matt Baggott - University of California, San Francisco.
Review of MDMA neurotoxicity literature

Jon Cole, Ph.D. - University of Liverpool, United Kingdom.
Review of research with MDMA users in England

Lew Seiden, Ph.D. - University of Chicago, Illinois.
Preclinical neurotoxicity research

Proposed Therapy Protocols and Policy Issues

Charles Grob, MD - Harbor UCLA Medical Center.
Proposed study of MDMA in the treatment of anxiety and depression in cancer patients

Jose Carlos Bouso, Ph.D. candidate
Universidad Autonoma de Madrid, Spain.
Proposed MDMA/Post Traumatic Stress Disorder study

Moshe Kotler, MD and Adam Darnell, MD
Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Israel.
Proposed MDMA/Post Traumatic Stress Disorder study

Mark Kleiman, Ph.D. - UCLA School of Public Policy
Policy issues in clinical research with MDMA, risk/benefit analysis