MAPS Bulletin Autumn 1990 Vol. 1, No. 3
Another country may be about ready to open the door to psychedelic research. In July, I met with Czechoslovakian psychiatrist Dr. Zdenek Dytrych in Washington, D.C., during his visit to the US for a conference. Dr. Dytrych had been told about MDMA by Dr. Stan Grof, with whom he used to conduct LSD research in the 1950’s and 1960’s. Dr. Dytrych is the head of social psychiatry at a psychiatric research institute in Prague and has extensive experience with LSD research.
Dr. Dytrych feels that securing permission for MDMA research will be possible in the current political climate in Czechoslovakia, and is primarily interested in conducting research. To begin the process of MDMA research in Czechoslovakia, Dr. David Nichols and MAPS are seeking permission from the Drug Enforcement Administration to export for scientific purposes 100 grams of MDMA to Dr. Dytrych’s research institute.
Dr. Nichols originally synthesized the MDMA several years ago for use in legal research. The MDMA which will hopefully be sent to Prague is from the same batch as that used in the animal toxicity studies which form the basis of the MAPS Drug Master File. Czech research using MDMA identical with that used in the previous US studies will simplify the process of securing FDA permission to enter data from Czech studies into the MAPS Drug Master File.
DEA approval for the export permit depends upon Dr. Dytrych obtaining an importation permit from the appropriate Czechoslovakian governmental authorities and Dr. Nichols obtaining DEA licensing as an exporter. The entire process is currently in motion, and just might happen. Stranger things have happened.
