The Mithoefers have completed one MAPS-sponsored Phase 2 clinical trial testing MDMA-assisted psychotherapy for PTSD. A paper about that study, published in the July 2010, Journal of Psychopharmacology, shows that 83% of subjects who received MDMA-assisted psychotherapy no longer qualified for PTSD after treatment. Primarily female survivors of sexual assault and abuse, these subjects had suffered from PTSD for an average of 19 years. A follow up study demonstrated that these astonishing results were sustained over three and a half years on average.

The Mithoefers are currently conducting a second trial with veterans, police officers, and firefighters with service-related PTSD, and are developing training programs for MAPS researchers.

The Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS) is a non-profit research and educational organization that is working on novel approaches to some of the worlds most challenging mental health issues. MAPS is developing MDMA-assisted psychotherapy into a treatment for chronic PTSD, end-of-life anxiety, and anxiety related to autism. The treatment combines talk therapy with the use of MDMA, a synthetic compound that may increase the effectiveness of psychotherapy by strengthening the alliance between therapist and patient, and help subjects feel more comfortable discussing difficult memories and emotions.