American soap company Dr Bronner's has agreed to donate $5 million to Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS) in an effort to get MDMA approved by the U.S Food and Drug Administration.

The drug has been used in psychotherapy trials in the United States and was recently given the green light to enter Phase 3.

Dr Bronner's will provide $1 million a year for five years, making up a total budget of $25 million.

CEO David Bronner said: "There is tremendous suffering and pain that the responsible integration of MDMA for treatment-resistant PTSD will alleviate and heal. To help inspire our allies to close the funding gap, my family has pledged $1 million a year for five years - $5 million total - by far our largest gift to an NGO partner to date.

"In part, we were inspired by the incredible example of Ashawna Hailey, former MAPS Board member, who gave MAPS $5 million when she died in 2011."

Phase 3 trials were authorised at the end of last year after trials on people suffering from post-traumatic stress and victims of sexual assault.

MDMA is also being used in trials in New Zealand as a means to cure tinnitus.

[Via: Collective Evolution]

[Photo: MDMA Team]

Dave Turner is Mixmag's Digital News Editor, follow him on Twitter