HHS Allocates $4.9 Million to Launch Ibogaine Research for PTSD
The funding supports preliminary steps for U.S. clinical trials, leveraging data from a Texas firm that has treated thousands of patients abroad.
By Oliver Bennett ·
Veterans seeking treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder may soon gain access to new federal research on ibogaine, a psychedelic drug currently banned in the United States. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced Thursday that his department is awarding up to $4.9 million to prepare for the first domestic studies of the substance.
Kennedy stated that the initial funding will not pay for direct patient trials. Instead, the money will cover the logistical groundwork required to manufacture the drug, determine safe dosages, and design the structure of future clinical trials. The goal is to establish a framework that allows for rapid testing once the infrastructure is in place.
Ibogaine is derived from a shrub native to West Africa and is classified in the same strict regulatory category as LSD and MDMA. The drug is known for inducing intense hallucinations, nausea, and tremors, and it carries a risk of deadly heart rhythm abnormalities. Because of these safety concerns, U.S. research has been largely stagnant for decades, with most data coming from patients who traveled to countries like Mexico for treatment.
The administration will rely on existing data from Beond Inc., a Texas-based company that has administered ibogaine to more than 3,000 patients in Mexico. Kennedy said receiving this treatment guidance would allow the government to accelerate the clinical trial process significantly. "We are going to have, I think, a record drug approval process," Kennedy said.
Veterans Affairs Secretary Doug Collins joined the announcement, emphasizing that the collaborative effort would prioritize safety and rigorous science. "For veterans living with PTSD, we owe them both urgency and the best science we can produce," Collins said. He noted that additional funding awards could explore the drug's potential for treating addiction.
The move follows an executive order signed by President Donald Trump in April, which directed federal agencies to expedite the review and research of psychedelics for mental health conditions. Three other psychedelic applications are currently pending review at the Food and Drug Administration, including medicines derived from psilocybin and MDMA. Decisions on those specific drugs may arrive within weeks or months.
Ibogaine clinics in unregulated markets typically charge between $10,000 and $20,000 for a single course of treatment. These sessions often require continuous monitoring of heart readings with emergency medical staff on standby due to the drug's physiological risks.
