In a decision that shocked some observers, key advisers to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) voted that the effectiveness of the party drug MDMA, also known as ecstasy, for treating post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is unproven.

Members of an independent scientific advisory committee voted 9 to 2 that human trials of MDMA did not prove its efficacy. They also voted 10 to 1 that the risks of MDMA outweigh its benefits. The FDA does not have to follow its advisory committee’s recommendations when deciding whether to approve a drug but often does.

Full article: MDMA therapy for PTSD rejected by FDA panel (nature.com)