Relief could be on the way for eligible Kiwis suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), after Medsafe allowed two psychiatrists to prescribe pharmaceutical grade MDMA to some patients.
MDMA remained an unapproved medicine in New Zealand, but two experienced psychiatrists were recently granted authority by Medsafe to prescribe it to patients with PTSD.
Associate Health Minister David Seymour welcomed Medsafe's approval, saying the mental health condition "ruins lives and is difficult to treat".
"MDMA can be very effective at treating it through psychedelic-assisted therapy," he said.
"Recent changes have put New Zealand's settings in line with Australia, where authorised prescribers have been providing MDMA-assisted psychotherapy for PTSD in clinical settings for some time."
The death has prompted fresh warnings for greater care when people choose to take drugs. (Source: 1News)
He said this was good news for patients who could have been suffering for a long time, and safeguards were in place to ensure the drug was "prescribed safely and appropriately".
"The clinicians will follow their therapeutic protocols and make decisions about whether treatment is appropriate for a patient following a comprehensive clinical assessment," Seymour said.
Treatment with MDMA occurred as part of a comprehensive treatment plan within in the prescriber's clinic.
Patients would not be dispensed MDMA to take home.
"Practitioners must also meet a series of requirements to gain approval, including demonstrating expertise in the area and providing a detailed proposal of how they will administer the treatment.
"We're committed to ensuring that the regulatory system for medicines is not unreasonably holding back access to emerging innovative treatments. It will lead to more Kiwis being able to access the medicines they need to live a fulfilling life."
According to the NZ Drug Foundation, MDMA is a stimulant drug that is also an empathogen. MDMA pressed into pill form and sometimes mixed with other stimulants. It is commonly known as Ecstacy.
MDMA speeds up brain and body functions and can make people feel energetic, confident, and emotionally connected to people around you. It can also make people feel dizzy, agitated, sweaty and anxious.
The effects of MDMA could last for up to five hours and were sometimes followed by a comedown, where people could experience low mood, irritability, and anxiety.
The decision does not approve a specific MDMA medecine, but the two clinicians have provided information to Medsafe about the pharmaceutical grade product they propose to use.
The move is specific to the two psychiatrists.
Last year, Medsafe approved the sale of over-the-counter melatonin and the prescription of medicinal psilocybin - also known as magic mushrooms - for treatment-resistant depression.
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