This study (2022) analysed data from two Phase II and one Phase III trials from MAPS where MDMA-assisted therapy (MDMA-AT) was used to treat PTSD in order to compare the efficacy and safety of MDMA-AT between Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) and non-Hispanic White participants. No significant ethnoracial difference in CAPS-5 scores was observed while BIPOC participants trended toward greater reductions following MDMA-AT.
Abstract
“Background: Limited ethnoracial diversity in previous ±3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine-assisted therapy (MDMA-AT) trials for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) has prompted questions concerning whether Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) also benefit from this treatment.
Methods: Secondary analysis was conducted using a modified intent-to-treat sample pooled from two Phase 2 open-label trials and a Phase 3 randomized, blinded placebo-controlled trial to compare the efficacy and safety of MDMA-AT for PTSD between BIPOC and non-Hispanic White participants. Four subgroups were of interest: MDMA-AT, BIPOC (n = 20); MDMA-AT, non-Hispanic White (n = 63); Placebo-assisted therapy (Placebo-AT), BIPOC (n = 17); and Placebo-AT, non-Hispanic White (n = 27). Planned comparisons tested subgroup differences in changes in Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale for DSM-5 (CAPS-5) scores from baseline to primary endpoint, controlling for study type and baseline scores. Adverse events (AEs) on the day of (day 0) to 2 days post-dosing were reported for each subgroup.
Results: In the MDMA-AT group, no significant ethnoracial difference in CAPS-5 change scores was observed. In the Placebo-AT group, BIPOC participants trended toward greater reductions in CAPS-5 scores than non-Hispanic Whites. Among non-Hispanic Whites, MDMA-AT was accompanied by significantly greater reductions in CAPS-5 scores than Placebo-AT. No treatment difference emerged among BIPOC participants. AEs were mostly rated as mild or moderate across subgroups.
Conclusions: These findings provide preliminary support for the efficacy and safety of MDMA-AT for treating PTSD across ethnoracial groups. There was also a trend toward greater efficacy with Placebo-AT among BIPOC participants. There was an imbalance in subgroups, highlighting the need for culturally responsive recruitment strategies to diversify future studies.
Authors: Terrence H. Ching, Monnica T. Williams, Julie B. Wang, Lisa Jerome, Berra Yazar-Klosinski, Amy Emerson & Rick Doblin
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https://doi.org/10.1177%2F02698811221104052
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Published in
Journal of Psychopharmacology
June 21, 2022
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Study details
Compounds studied
MDMA
Topics studied
PTSD
Equity and Ethics
Study characteristics
Meta-Analysis
Placebo-Controlled
Double-Blind
Participants
127
Humans
Authors
Authors associated with this publication with profiles on Blossom
Rick DoblinRick Doblin Ph.D. is the founder of MAPS. His persistent work since 1986 has been one of the main drivers behind why psychedelics (including MDMA) are now coming back to therapy.
Institutes
Institutes associated with this publication
MAPSMAPS stands for Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies, it's the front runner in making psychedelics a legal way to use (and improve) in therapy.