Trump team funds controversial psychedelic ibogaine for veteran PTSD study
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Federal authorities on Thursday announced initial funding to examine the clinical potential of ibogaine, a controversial psychedelic compound supported by veterans, conservative lawmakers, and podcasters allied with President Donald Trump.
Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. confirmed the department will provide up to $4.9 million to prepare for the first U.S. trials evaluating ibogaine for post-traumatic stress disorder, a difficult condition tied to elevated suicide and substance abuse among veterans.
The grant will not fund direct patient research, Kennedy noted, but will establish the foundation required to produce, dose, and design clinical evaluations of the compound.
Derived from a West African shrub, ibogaine can cause intense hallucinations, nausea, vomiting, tremors, and severe heart rhythm issues.
It remains illegal under federal law, categorized in the same restrictive classification as LSD, ecstasy, and most other hallucinogens.
Veterans groups and advocates for psychedelics argue that ibogaine shows significant promise for stubborn conditions such as PTSD, major depression, and opioid dependence.
Research in the U.S. has been frozen for decades due to its strict legal classification.
Kennedy stated that federal officials will draw upon treatment guidelines and data from Beond Inc., a Texas company that has treated more than 3,000 individuals with ibogaine in Mexico, where it is not prohibited.
“That is going to allow us to dramatically accelerate the clinical trial process,” Kennedy said. “We’re going to have, I think, a record drug approval process.”
Subsequent funding awards could examine the drug’s application for addiction treatment, he added.
Veterans Affairs Secretary Doug Collins joined Kennedy for the briefing, emphasizing that the collaborative project would prioritize safety alongside “best-in-class research.”
“For veterans living with PTSD, we owe them both urgency and the best science we can produce,” Collins said.
Both Kennedy and Collins have previously expressed support for psychedelic therapies, pointing to accounts from veterans who traveled abroad for treatment involving ibogaine and related mind-altering substances.
Thursday’s announcement follows an April executive order from Trump directing federal bodies to expedite review and research into psychedelics that could address mental health disorders.
The Food and Drug Administration is currently reviewing three applications for psychedelic therapies. These include initial potential drugs derived from psilocybin, the active agent in magic mushrooms, and MDMA, also known as ecstasy. Rulings on those submissions could arrive within weeks or months.
Due to safety concerns, research into ibogaine has progressed more slowly.
Most existing data relies on patients who traveled to Mexico or other countries lacking strict regulations. Ibogaine clinics typically charge between $10,000 and $20,000 for treatment, which frequently requires cardiac monitoring and standby emergency medical support.
Trump’s action on psychedelics occurred after podcaster Joe Rogan said he texted Trump about ibogaine, a topic he has repeatedly raised on his show. According to Rogan, the president quickly responded: “Sounds great. Do you want FDA approval? Let’s do it.”
