ByDANYA SAPERSTEINAUGUST 4, 2026 08:02Updated: AUGUST 4, 2026 08:15Some 80% of participants in a study of MDMA-assisted psychotherapy to treat soldiers with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) experienced reduced symptoms, and most no longer met the diagnostic criteria for the disorder at the end of the treatment.The study, conducted at Clalit Health Services' HaEmeek Medical Center, is evaluating the safety and effectiveness of the treatment, as the need for PTSD treatments in Israel grows.According to Israel's healthcare system data, PTSD diagnoses have increased by approximately 70% in the wake of October 7 and the subsequent war. "Approximately 15% of combat soldiers exposed to severe battlefield trauma may develop chronic PTSD," clinical psychologist and co-leader of the study, Ronen Sidi, said. Sidi, who served in the elite Duvdevan Unit as a special forces soldier, emphasized that individuals with PTSD are often "highly resilient, dedicated individuals who find it difficult to seek help or speak openly about fear, guilt, or helplessness.Clalit-HaEmek Medical Center in Northern Israel, the city of Afula. (credit: Clalit-HaEmek Medical Center)"The number of people coping with post-traumatic stress since October 7 is enormous. Beyond the personal suffering experienced by these soldiers, PTSD has a profound impact on their families and on society as a whole." Director of Psychiatry at Clalit-HaEmek Medical Center and principal investigator of the study, Dr. Alon Reshef, said. Reshef added that early intervention can have a major impact on recovery."When patients begin treatment within the first month to one year after the traumatic event, their chances of recovery are significantly better. As more years pass, treatment becomes increasingly complex. Even so, meaningful breakthroughs are possible, even in chronic cases," he said.MDMA functions as a therapeutic tool, not treatment Both Sidi and Reshef emphasized that MDMA itself was a therapeutic tool used within the treatment, and not the treatment itself.The full treatment consisted of 13 sessions of intensive psychotherapy with three monitored sessions during which MDMA is administered under medical supervision. Two experienced therapists, including psychiatrists, psychologists, or social workers specially trained in trauma treatment, stay with each patient during the session.While under the influence of MDMA, patients are believed to be able to engage with traumatic memories while experiencing emotional regulation, trust, and psychological safety. With the MDMA, patients may be able to enter a therapeutic state which allows them to access and process emotions such as shame, guilt, and helplessness, some of the most challenging barriers to recovery, while under careful supervision.MDMA may cause harm with unsupervised use, hospital warnsReshef, as well as the hospital itself, stressed that MDMA is not a "miracle cure" or something that should be used without careful medical and psychological supervision, warning that unsupervised use may even cause more harm.Candidates for the study underwent comprehensive medical and psychological screening, had strong family support and ongoing professional supervision throughout the process. All were soldiers who had already undergone conventional PTSD treatments.The hospital further emphasized that outside authorized research, MDMA remains an illegal substance and should never be used for self-treatment. However, under careful medical supervision and within a structured clinical research protocol, patients may receive potentially life-changing treatment."We meet courageous soldiers, remarkable individuals who have endured years of suffering. Our goal is to offer them a genuine opportunity to rebuild their lives through rigorous scientific research, professional care, and comprehensive support throughout the entire process," Reshef said.Follow us on Google