Ecstasy could ease severe nerve pain in new pilot trial

NCT ID NCT07301632

First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026

Summary

This pilot study tests whether a single dose of MDMA (ecstasy) combined with psychological support can help people with severe chronic neuropathic pain. Forty adults with moderate-to-severe nerve pain will receive either MDMA or a placebo (methylphenidate) along with psychotherapy sessions before and after dosing. The main goal is to see if a larger trial is feasible, not yet to prove the treatment works.

What this could mean

Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.

Active substance

MDMA (ecstasy)

What this could lead to

If it works, this could point toward a new treatment option for people with severe chronic nerve pain that hasn't responded to other therapies.

What could go wrong

This is a very small early pilot study (40 people) testing feasibility, not effectiveness. MDMA can cause side effects like increased heart rate, anxiety, or confusion, and the psychological support component makes it hard to separate drug effects from therapy effects.

Disclaimer Read more

This is a summary of the original study . Summaries may miss details or leave out important information. Before applying or accepting participation, make sure you have read and understood the full study. Curemydisease.com takes no responsibility whatsoever for anything missed, misunderstood, or acted upon as a result of our summary — we know it does not capture everything.

Get updates

Get notified about this study

Sign up to get updates when this study changes or when new studies for CHRONIC NEUROPATHIC PAIN are added.

Our safety recommendation!

By submitting, you agree to our Terms of use

As listed by the trial registrant

The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.

Contacts and locations

Study contacts

  • Contact

    Phone: •••-•••-•••• Email: •••••@•••••

Locations

  • St. Michael's Hospital

    RECRUITING

    Toronto, Ontario, M5B 1W8, Canada

    Contact