> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://goodoil.news/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # Using Science Not Politics - URL: https://goodoil.news/using-science-not-politics/ - Published: 2026-09-08T22:00:10.000Z - Updated: 2026-09-08T22:00:09.000Z - Description: Psychedelics as medicine. - Author: Kevin - Tags: Science, Mental Health > *The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) appears closer than ever to approving psychedelic drugs like psilocybin and MDMA for medical use. But as political momentum builds in Washington and in the states, the evidence supporting these drugs deserves more scrutiny, not less.* > > *Earlier this month, the Food and Drug Administration released its first finalized guidance on psychedelic drug development, explaining how these drugs should be studied for potential medical approval. The document marks a turning point. After decades of resistance, the FDA is signaling that psilocybin and MDMA are now on a path toward approval.* > > *This seismic shift in psychedelics acceptance isn't just about approving a new medicine. It's about whether the federal government is laying the foundation for a multibillion-dollar commercial psychedelic industry before it has answered the fundamental scientific questions that should come first.* A seismic shift is an understatement. We’re talking about drugs that for decades have been classified as the worst of the worst and highly dangerous. I’m sure at school you must have been told stories about users high on acid going blind from staring at the sun or killing themselves jumping out windows thinking they can fly (these stories were all fabrications by the way). > *\[…\] There is no cause for concern if psychedelic therapies pass the scientific muster required for approval. But the question now is whether the evidence has reached the threshold the FDA has historically required to make that determination. When the Oval Office is used to publicly encourage approvals, celebrate psychedelic therapies, and accelerate review timelines before those scientific questions have been answered, it’s fair to ask whether the FDA is being maneuvered to move faster than the evidence warrants.* Fair call. The problem is that the FDA has always been political. It’s just that they’ve always been against psychoactive substances and opposed to their medical use. > *\[…\] Supporters often point to promising studies suggesting psychedelics can treat depression, PTSD, addiction, and other serious conditions. But many of those studies are remarkably small and suffer from methodological weaknesses and conflicts of interest. A 2024 review of nearly 300 psilocybin studies found that only 12 per cent were randomized controlled trials, with a median sample size of just 22 participants. Flimsy evidence like that is no basis for promising veterans a “miracle cure,” as US Rep Lou Correa (D-CA) recently said.* > > *The FDA’s own guidance reinforces that point. The agency recommends following patients for at least 12 months because long-term effects remain uncertain. It also suggests abuse studies may not be scientifically necessary for certain psychedelics because their subjective effects are already “well characterized.”* No one with any expertise in this area is saying that MDMA is a cure for PTSD. What it does is assist therapy by suppressing the amygdala and causing the release of the ‘bonding’ hormone oxytocin. This creates ‘trust’ with the therapist and allows the patient to process things that in a normal state that they wouldn’t be able to. It also needs to be remembered that it is only part of the overall process. Just as importantly is the prep work and after work. > *\[…\] The FDA’s own guidance makes one thing clear: significant questions about long-term outcomes and abuse potential remain unanswered. Those aren’t minor details to look into after administering these high-powered drugs to vulnerable populations. They’re exactly the kinds of questions the agency exists to resolve before approving a new medicine. If the evidence ultimately supports approval, the FDA’s scientific review should make that case on its own. It should not need political momentum to carry it across the finish line. Until those questions are answered, the agency should resist pressure to move faster than science allows.* At the moment, MDMA-assisted therapy should be reserved for cases where PTSD is debilitating and materially affects someone’s quality of life. Or cases where someone is suffering from social anxiety to the point where even ordering a cup of coffee is difficult. And there need to be proper safeguards in place: at least two therapists in the room, with one taking an observer role. Everything videoed with the consent of the patient and the patient reassured about any privacy concerns. The therapists involved should have a minimum number of years of experience and be trained in the use of psychedelics. These are safeguards only. All it takes is one rogue therapist taking advantage of their patient for everything to go tits up. > *Science should decide the future of psychedelics – not politics.* As Elon Musk put it on X, there is no reason why MDMA, for example, should not be available for people suffering chronic PTSD as a result of war or severe sexual abuse. But first we need to make sure that the proper safeguards are in place and maintained. Source: [https://realclearwire.com/articles/2026/08/27/science\_should\_decide\_the\_future\_of\_psychedelics-not\_politics\_1202897.html](https://realclearwire.com/articles/2026/08/27/science%5Fshould%5Fdecide%5Fthe%5Ffuture%5Fof%5Fpsychedelics-not%5Fpolitics%5F1202897.html?ref=goodoil.news)