TMCnet News
Nootropedia Teams Up with MAPS to Make Psychedelics LegalToday, Nootropedia, LLC, a nootropics web portal, community, and encyclopedia, has announced a partnership with MAPS (multidisciplinary association for psychedelic studies) to raise funding for Phase 3 trials of MDMA-assisted psychotherapy for PTSD through online programs and live events in the Austin area. Until now Nootropedia has predominantly focused on educating the public about topics in this field, such as the benefits of ayahuasca and cognitive effects of microdosing LSD. Additionally, the online resource has published work on cognitive enhancement more broadly, such as this example. Increasing evidence suggests that psychedelic drugs like LSD, psilocybin, and ayahuasca can treat symptoms of treatment-resistant depression. MAPS has indicated their highest priority project is funding phase 3 clinical trials for MDMA-assisted psychotherapy, which the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has granted "breakthrough therapy designation" MAPS is working to make MDMA an approved prescription medicine by 2021, but to do so requires approximately $25 million. When asked about the partnership between the two organizations, co-founder of Nootropedia, Mansal Denton, said, "Pharmaceutical companies don't like psychedelics because all the research shows there are lasting effects from these experiences. The pharma companies want patients that take drugs for a lifetime. I look forward to transitioning Nootropedia from an education platform to a pro-active engagement tool to raise money for organizations like MAPS." For Nootropedia the first step is online activism. Reaching hundreds of thousands every month, Nootropedia will leverage the audience to raise funding through their MAPS Week. Then they will move into Austin area events in order to raise money and awareness. Existing research conducted through MAPS has proved fruitful, but partnerships with Nootropedia and other organizations becomes imperative for the viability of MAPS and their studies. Thanks to the "Pineapple Fund," funds are rolling in and adding up. The founder and executive director of MAPS, Rick Doblin, PhD, said, "With no funding available for these trials from government agencies or major medical research foundations, legally available MDMA-assisted psychotherapy for PTSD will indeed be a gift to the world from the psychedelic science…" Most scientific studies are currently focused on anxiety, depression, and treatment of trauma, but there is early evidence to suggest psychedelics can improve cognitive function. Alkaloids in the ayahuasca plant can stimulate neurogenesis, LSD can boost creativity, and peyote can lead to business and engineering breakthroughs. The more we look at these illegal psychedelic drugs, the more we find they may be useful in overcoming our greatest personal and business challenges. About Nootropedia, LLC: Founded in 2016 in Austin, TX, Nootropedia has become a leading resource in nootropics and smart drug information. Seen in major media outlets like Entrepreneur, Huffington Post, Forbes, and Inc, the brand has contributed to thousands of better brains. Nootropedia released a documentary by the title A Head Above and has reached over 1.2 million people worldwide.
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