The move comes as the Department of Veterans Affairs broadens its involvement in psychedelic research, including studies of psilocybin and other compounds. According to Newsweek, the administration has placed particular emphasis on veterans whose mental health conditions have not responded to conventional medications or psychotherapy.
University of Miami Transfers Historic Ibogaine Application
President Donald Trump said the University of Miami had provided the federal government with its original 1994 investigational new drug application for ibogaine, a psychoactive compound derived from the Central African shrub Tabernanthe iboga.
Trump said Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. had received the application. The material gives federal researchers and regulators access to earlier documentation connected with Food and Drug Administration authorization efforts involving ibogaine.
“We are moving FAST, so that our Veterans with serious mental illness have a RIGHT TO TRY here in the U.S.,” Trump wrote in a Truth Social post cited by Newsweek. He added that he hoped other companies and institutions would participate in the federal effort.
Ibogaine remains a Schedule I controlled substance in the United States and has not been approved by federal regulators for medical use. Researchers have examined its potential role in treating PTSD, depression, addiction and other behavioral health conditions, but concerns remain over possible cardiac risks.
Jay Godfrey, CEO and co-founder of Nushama, told Newsweek that the administration’s interest represented a shift in the federal approach to psychedelic medicine, particularly for veterans. He said emerging evidence was promising while emphasizing the importance of expanding research and access responsibly.
Medical experts also continue to distinguish between psychedelic compounds because their risk profiles differ. Jared Ross, an emergency physician and professor at the University of Missouri, told Newsweek that psilocybin has a better-characterized safety profile and does not carry the same cardiac risks associated with ibogaine.
VA Broadens Clinical Research Into Psychedelic Therapies
The Department of Veterans Affairs has already launched a clinical trial examining psilocybin for veterans with treatment-resistant depression and PTSD. According to Newsweek, VA researchers are involved in more than 20 psychedelic-related research efforts.
The expansion follows an executive order issued by Trump in April directing federal agencies to accelerate research and regulatory review of psychedelic-assisted therapies, including ibogaine, psilocybin, MDMA, ketamine and LSD. The order also called for roughly $50 million in federal support for research projects and state-level programs studying treatments for serious mental illness.
In July, the VA and HHS signed a memorandum of understanding intended to strengthen cooperation on psychedelic therapy research. The agencies said the agreement would broaden participation in clinical trials and increase the collection of evidence on treatment outcomes.
Supporters of the research have also stressed the need for careful medical safeguards. Amber Capone, co-founder and CEO of Veterans Exploring Treatment Solutions, told Newsweek that psychedelic treatments require screening, medical oversight, preparation and follow-up.
The federal push remains focused on research rather than established medical use. Larger clinical trials are still needed to determine long-term safety and effectiveness, while the available evidence and risks vary considerably among the drugs now under study.
