Texas is set to launch one of the largest public investments in psychedelics research, The Washington Post reported June 9.
The state will provide up to $50 million to jump-start clinical trials of ibogaine, a psychedelic that could be a treatment for mental health and addiction conditions. The funding was approved by Texas lawmakers, and Gov. Greg Abbott is expected to sign it into law, The Post reported.
Here are three things to know:
- No U.S. clinical trials have been completed on ibogaine, according to The Post. The National Institute on Drug Abuse has awarded companies more than $14 million for ibogaine research in recent years.
- Texas will allocate up to $50 million in funding to a university, hospital and drug developer to study ibogaine. The state would receive a share of royalties from any successful drug resulting from the trials.
- In 2024, the FDA rejected pharmaceutical MDMA, another psychedelic, as a treatment for posttraumatic stress disorder. The Department of Veterans Affairs has funded further research into whether MDMA can effectively treat PTSD.
FDA Commissioner Marty Makary, MD, has said investigating psychedelics as treatment for mental and behavioral health conditions is a top priority for the agency.
Read more here.
