Secretary of Veterans Affairs Doug Collins told Newsmax on Thursday that the Department of Veterans Affairs is pushing forward with psychedelic-assisted therapy, stressing that the goal is not just to manage veterans' conditions but to heal them completely.
Collins said the VA is investing heavily in psychedelic-assisted therapies with one key goal: finding cures for veterans, not just treatments.
Appearing on "Finnerty," Collins said the VA is conducting nearly a dozen clinical trials using substances such as MDMA (Methylenedioxymethamphetamine) in combination with counseling to help veterans suffering from mental health issues, including post-traumatic stress disorder.
"We're very serious in the fact that right now, through the VA system, either on our own or others, we have almost 12 clinical trials going on in various different substances that we're seeing actually really good results on," Collins said.
"I just got back from the Bronx, actually just a few weeks ago," Collins said. "We're doing treatments up there with MDMA and counseling, and we're seeing actually really, really good results. And I think that's the part that is very good for me."
Collins emphasized that his department is working closely with other federal agencies to advance these therapies.
"We're also working with HHS. We're working with the FDA over there," he said. "We're going to work with them to see how we can expand to get more clinical trials. … How can we get it into the testing phase for more veterans to be able to use this?"
Collins said his office is also collaborating with outside groups engaged in similar research, all with the aim of identifying long-term, restorative solutions.
"But I want to say one thing," he added. "I heard it on this clip just a second ago. I'm going to tell you right now, the secretary of veterans affairs —myself — I want to heal people. I want to see people healed. I want to see them back to normal. I want to see them living productive lives with their families."
"As a veteran who's seen this many, many times before, I'm not one to stick us in treatments. I want to see cures. And that's what we're about now."
Asked about how such therapies would be administered safely, Collins said the VA is ensuring that the treatment is tightly controlled and professionally supervised.
"We have our doctors, our psychiatrists, others who are there who can do the administration of the drug, then actually watch, listen, talk to the individuals," Collins said.
"What we're finding a lot of times is a mix of not only an application of treatment, but also a counseling or an intensive counseling with that is showing numbers to be really, really good, lowering the levels, lowering those anxieties, lowering those fears."
"We're working with HHS to say, how can we move forward on these things so people aren't having to go elsewhere — out of [the] country, other places — to get these treatments," he said.
"We want to make sure that we're trying to do the best we can for our veterans here."
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Jim Thomas ✉
Jim Thomas is a writer based in Indiana. He holds a bachelor's degree in Political Science, a law degree from U.I.C. Law School, and has practiced law for more than 20 years.
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