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Marine vet touts benefits of psychedelic-assisted PTSD drugs as FDA considers MDMA approval
This story discusses suicide. If you or someone you know is having thoughts of suicide, please contact the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988 or 1-800-273-TALK (8255).
PTSD sufferers might soon have a new avenue of relief.
A drug application for psychedelic-assisted therapies has been filed by Lykos Therapeutics, formerly MAPS PBC, for FDA approval.
As of Dec. 12, 2023, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) had 60 days to respond with its long-awaited verdict, according to a Jan. 10 news release from Lykos, which is based in California.
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If approved, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) would have to reschedule (recategorize) MDMA — also known as ecstasy — to make it legal for prescription medical use.
The Department of Veteran Affairs (VA) also announced on Jan. 5 that it’s released proposals for VA researchers to study the use of psychedelic compounds, including MDMA and psilocybin (magic mushrooms), when used in conjunction with psychotherapy to treat PTSD and depression.
Both MDMA and psilocybin-assisted therapies (also known as ecstasy and magic mushrooms) will be studied by the VA. (iStock)
The VA confirmed in an email to Fox News Digital that this research will be the first of its kind since the 1960s.
While some people have hesitations, a 16-year Marine Corps veteran, Juliana Mercer, has been a leading advocate of psychedelic-assisted therapies in treating mental health challenges.
Mercer, who lives in San Diego, is director of veteran advocacy and public policy at Healing Breakthrough, an organization aiming to get MDMA-assisted therapy adopted into the VA system.
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In an interview with Fox News Digital, the veteran noted that MDMA therapy has been shown to be 71% effective in eliminating PTSD in two Phase 3 clinical trials.
Mercer anticipates hearing back from the FDA “very soon” on its decision — and said she hopes the agency will green-light the drug.
Marine Corps veteran Juliana Mercer of San Diego has been a leading advocate for psychedelic-assisted therapies in treating mental health challenges. “MDMA is the tip of the spear,” she said. “I’m so excited about it.” (Juliana Mercer)
“We’re fairly certain and optimistic that it will be approved,” she said. “And once that happens, there’s some more paperwork that needs to be done in anticipating MDMA to be prescribed by health care providers in mid- to late 2024.”
When contacted for comment, the FDA told Fox News Digital that it cannot discuss the existence of, or status of, any pending applications.
‘Overnight’ healing
Mercer, who spent deployments in Iraq and Afghanistan, struggled with PTSD until it “came to a head” in 2019, she said.
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The veteran sought talk therapy, which helped her to “not feel so alone” — but it didn’t help “tackle the problem” at its root, she noted.
After being introduced to a Florida nonprofit, Heroic Hearts Project, Mercer was able to access psychedelic therapy outside the U.S.
Mercer (pictured at right on deployment) said she believes it is “important” for the VA to be prepared to roll out this program “once it is FDA-approved.” (Juliana Mercer)
“After that healing that was almost overnight, in conjunction with the talk therapy that I was doing and with a psychedelic coach, I was able to get to the root cause, and also regain my joy and my love and go back to working with the veteran community,” she told Fox News Digital.
Mercer said her experience became the “catalyst” for her advocacy for therapy access, as she recently testified during a Nov. 14 hearing on Capitol Hill.
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She addressed the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs about the efficacy of these therapies, claiming that the trial results “cannot be outstated.”
Mercer told Fox News Digital that she believes it is “such a huge injustice” that there “isn’t anything working” in the U.S. for struggling vets.
“I felt like I needed to shout it from the rooftops and figure out a way to get this available to my veteran brothers and sisters,” she said.
“The suicide epidemic is killing us at a rate higher than the death rate of 20 years of war,” Mercer added. “We’re losing over 6,000 veterans a year to suicide.”
Seventeen veterans die by suicide each day, according to data from the VA. (iStock)
In a press release discussing the rollout of psychedelic research, VA Secretary Denis McDonough wrote that America’s veterans “deserve the very best care, and VA is constantly supporting innovations to deliver that.”
He added, “This is an important step to explore the efficacy of a potential new set of promising treatments that could improve the health and quality of life for veterans.”
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Dr. Shereef Elnahal, the VA’s under-secretary for health, commented in the same release that veterans and VA researchers have been vocal about the “potential promise of psychedelics to treat mental health conditions for some time.”
“Now is our chance to study this potential method of treating veterans with PTSD and major depression across the country,” he wrote.
Juliana Mercer on Capitol Hill in Nov. 2023 advocated for psychedelic-assisted therapies in front of the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs. (Juliana Mercer)
MDMA therapy is the first of these novel treatments to be considered for FDA approval, Mercer detailed, claiming that two-thirds of patients no longer qualify for PTSD diagnosis after treatment.
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Another psychedelic option is psilocybin, also known as “magic mushrooms.”
It has also shown promising results upon entering Phase 3 clinical trials.
Psilocybin, or magic mushrooms, has just entered Phase 3 clinical trials. (iStock)
Since the approval of psilocybin-assisted therapies could be “a few years down the road,” Mercer said MDMA’s potential approval is the “tip of the spear” when it comes to saving veterans’ lives.
How it works
MDMA medication is administered orally inside a clinic during an approximate eight-hour session, according to Mercer, with the guidance of a mental health care provider.
The patient undergoes talk therapy for a month before receiving the medication — and then for another month afterward.
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The VA is looking into expanding talk therapy options beyond one-on-one sessions, to include group conversations and sessions with significant others, Mercer pointed out.
Dr. Yuval Neria, director of Columbia University’s PTSD Research and Treatment Program in New York, shared his optimism about this mode of therapy with Fox News Digital.
A global expert on PTSD, Dr. Yuval Neria is professor of medical psychology at the Departments of Psychiatry and Epidemiology at Columbia University Medical Center in New York. He said there is “an acute lack of effective treatments” for America’s veterans with PTSD. (Yuval Neria)
“Veterans with PTSD suffer from a multitude of interpersonal problems, including PTSD, depression, severe difficulties in relationships with their partners, functional impairment and suicide,” he said. “Yet there is an acute lack of effective treatments, particularly in VA settings.”
Some PTSD therapies that are considered the “gold standard” require veterans to “relive their traumas,” said Neria, which is “not preferable among many.”
“As a result, there is a high dropout rate of traditional talk therapies (36% to 68% depending on modality),” he noted.
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The FDA’s potential approval of MDMA-involved treatment represents a “promising step,” Neria said.
“Many veterans seek a larger ‘transcendent’ experience to counter their trauma experience,” he said. “They seek to hit the ‘reset’ button, and hope that psychedelics rapidly do that, with little effort on the veteran’s part.”
One veteran pointed out the “stigma” around both MDMA and psilocybin, as the drugs have been criminalized by the government after their breakout in the “party scene” during the 1970s and 1980s. (iStock)
“MDMA seems to synergistically improve not only the symptoms of PTSD, but also the relational context among PTSD patients, their partners and family members, allowing sustained improvement through enhanced and strengthened relationships,” he added.
Breaking the ‘party drug’ stigma
Mercer said she believes that any skepticism around the benefits of psychedelic-assisted therapies could be due to its criminalization after it broke out in the “party scene” during the 1970s and 1980s.
“Our government, instead of trying to figure out how to keep it safe or keep it in clinics, just scheduled it,” she said. “So, there’s a stigma around MDMA and psilocybin.”
(The DEA puts drugs into different categories, or schedules, to designate their “acceptable medical use or dependency potential.”)
“The tough conversations have been easier now that we have science that backs up the efficacy and safety of these types of substances,” Mercer also said.
Risks and benefits
While Mercer predicts that FDA approval could eradicate some stigma and educate the public, she encourages veterans to “do their research” before partaking in psychedelic-assisted treatments.
“Also, talk to other veterans who have undergone the process,” Mercer advised. “There are a lot of communities out there … that can help veterans navigate and answer questions.”
U.S. Marine Juliana Mercer is pictured during deployment in Helmand Province, Afghanistan, in 2010. (Juliana Mercer)
Dr. Marc Siegel, clinical professor of medicine at NYU Langone Medical Center and a Fox News medical contributor, recently interviewed two of the country’s top researchers on psychedelics — Dr. Rachel Yehuda, founder and director of the Center for Psychedelic Psychotherapy and Trauma Research at Mt. Sinai in New York, and Dr. Charles Marmar, director of the PTSD research program at NYU Langone.
“They agree there is therapeutic potential if very carefully studied under very strict medical guidance, but there is a huge downside in terms of unregulated recreational uses,” Siegel told Fox News Digital.
Two of the country’s top experts in psychedelics see “likely therapeutic value if carefully managed by medical experts,” noted Dr. Marc Siegel of New York. (iStock)
Yehuda said part of the effect could be from the out-of-body hallucinatory experience, while Marmar said the benefit is purely pharmacological and that the same impact can be gained without the high, Siegel relayed.
“Both doctors see likely therapeutic value to psychedelics if carefully managed by medical experts,” Siegel added.
Hopeful for change
“We’ve thrown so much at this problem, whether it’s helping with employment or education, recreational activities, getting them engaged with their communities – and nothing has moved the needle on this mental health care crisis,” Mercer told Fox News Digital.
As rates of veteran suicide and homelessness continue to rise, the veteran suggested that MDMA-assisted therapy could be “the light at the end of the tunnel.”
Mercer predicted, “I think that once we’re able to heal our veterans of their PTSD and other mental health conditions, we’ll see a drop in suicides and homelessness … and we’ll see veterans being employed and part of their communities and becoming leaders again.”
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Collagen supplements have exploded in popularity, touted as everything from an anti-aging miracle to a muscle recovery booster.
But a sweeping new review conducted by U.K. researchers suggests that while collagen may help improve skin elasticity and ease arthritis pain, it does little for athletic performance or wrinkle reduction.
Researchers from Anglia Ruskin University analyzed 16 systematic reviews and 113 randomized controlled trials involving nearly 8,000 participants worldwide, which they say is the most extensive evaluation of collagen’s health effects to date.
The review found consistent evidence that collagen supplementation improves skin elasticity and hydration over time and provides significant relief from osteoarthritis-related joint pain and stiffness, according to findings published in Aesthetic Surgery Journal Open Forum.
A large U.K. review found that collagen supplements may improve skin elasticity and hydration over time. (iStock)
The researchers, however, did not find meaningful improvements in post-exercise muscle recovery, soreness or tendon mechanical properties (strength, springiness and stretch resistance).
“Collagen is not a cure-all, but it does have credible benefits when used consistently over time, particularly for skin and osteoarthritis,” co-author Lee Smith, professor of public health at Anglia Ruskin University, said in a statement.
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“Our findings show clear benefits in key areas of healthy aging, while also dispelling some of the myths surrounding its use,” Smith added.
Collagen, the most abundant protein in the body, supports skin, bones, tendons, cartilage and connective tissue, according to experts. Natural collagen production begins to drop in early adulthood and declines more sharply with age.
The study found that collagen supplements may help reduce joint pain and stiffness in people with osteoarthritis. (iStock)
The review found that long-term collagen supplementation was linked to improved skin firmness and hydration, but did not help skin roughness — a proxy for visible wrinkles.
Benefits appear to accumulate gradually, suggesting that collagen should not be viewed as an “anti-wrinkle ‘quick fix,’ but as a foundational dermal support for individuals seeking holistic skin maintenance,” the researchers said.
“If we define anti-aging as a product or technique designed to prevent the appearance of getting older, then I believe our findings do support this claim for some parameters,” Smith told the BBC. “For example, an improvement in skin tone and moisture is associated with a more youthful-looking appearance.”
Collagen supplementation was linked to reduced pain and stiffness in people with osteoarthritis, with stronger benefits seen over longer periods of use, and showed modest improvements in muscle mass and tendon structure that may support healthy aging.
Collagen did not significantly improve skin roughness, a marker of visible wrinkles. (iStock)
However, it did not show meaningful results when used as a fast-acting sports performance supplement, and evidence for benefits related to cholesterol, blood sugar, blood pressure and oral health was mixed or inconclusive.
Dr. Daniel Ghiyam, a California-based physician and longevity specialist, said the findings align with what he sees in clinical practice.
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“Collagen is a targeted support tool, not a foundation of health or performance,” Ghiyam, who was not involved in the study, told Fox News Digital. “When marketed that way, it makes sense. When marketed as a cure-all, it doesn’t hold up to the data.”
The authors noted that while many previous collagen studies have received financial support from the supplement industry, the current review did not receive industry funding.
Experts say collagen supplements may offer modest benefits for skin hydration and joint comfort, but they are not a cure-all. (iStock)
The team called for more high-quality clinical trials examining long-term outcomes, optimal dosages and differences between collagen sources, such as marine, bovine and plant-based alternatives.
Among its limitations, the review could not determine whether certain forms of collagen work better than others or what the optimal regimen should be.
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While the review included randomized controlled trials, the quality of the studies varied, with newer research generally showing stronger results.
Experts say more data and studies are needed to build on the findings. They also noted that diet plays a crucial role in skin health.
Collagen supplements, often sold as powders or pills, may improve skin elasticity and ease joint pain, experts say. (iStock)
Dr. Erum Ilyas, a Pennsylvania-based dermatologist and chair of dermatology at Drexel University College of Medicine, noted that the review analyzed previously published meta-analyses rather than generating new primary data.
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“At this time, I have not seen sufficiently strong independent evidence to routinely recommend collagen supplements to my patients,” Ilyas, who was not involved in the review, told Fox News Digital.
“Although some studies show modest improvements in markers such as hydration and elasticity, there remains limited independent, biopsy-confirmed evidence demonstrating sustained increases in dermal collagen content,” she added.
Fox News Digital has reached out to the researchers for comment.
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As colorectal cancer (CRC) is now the leading cause of cancer death in adults under 50, a new report reveals some surprising shifts in the incidence of the disease.
Although rates of CRC have been declining among seniors, those 65 and under are facing a rise in diagnoses, according to a report titled Colorectal Cancer Statistics, 2026, from the American Cancer Society.
Adults 65 and younger comprise nearly half (45%) of all new colorectal cancer cases — a significant increase from 27% in 1995, states the report, which was published in CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians.
The disease is rising fastest among adults 20 to 49 years old, at a rate of 3% per year.
Colorectal cancer is now the leading cause of cancer death in adults under 50. (iStock)
Among adults 50 and under, 75% of colorectal cancers are diagnosed at an advanced stage. Half of the diagnoses in that age range are made between the ages of 45 and 49. Although that age group is eligible to receive routine screenings, just 37% do so.
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The report also revealed that rectal cancer is on the rise, now accounting for about one-third (32%) of all CRC cases — an increase from 27% in the mid-2000s.
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“After decades of progress, the risk of dying from colorectal cancer is climbing in younger generations of men and women, confirming a real uptick in disease because of something we’re doing or some other exposure,” said Rebecca Siegel, senior scientific director, surveillance research at the American Cancer Society and lead author of the report, in a press release.
Among adults 50 and under, 75% of colorectal cancers are diagnosed at an advanced stage. Half of the diagnoses in that age range are made between the ages of 45 and 49. (iStock)
“We need to redouble research efforts to understand the cause, but also circumvent deaths through earlier detection by educating clinicians and the general public about symptoms and increasing screening in people 45-54 years.”
It is projected that 158,850 new cases of colorectal cancer will be diagnosed this year, and that the disease will cause 55,230 deaths, per the report.
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More than half of CRC cases can be linked to high-risk behaviors, the researchers said. Those include lack of nutrition, high alcohol consumption, smoking, lack of exercise and obesity.
“These findings further underscore that colorectal cancer is worsening among younger generations and highlight the immediate need for eligible adults to begin screening at the recommended age of 45,” said Dr. William Dahut, chief scientific officer at the American Cancer Society.
When the disease is caught at a local (early) stage, the five-year survival rate is 95%. (iStock)
“The report also shines a light on the crucial importance of continued funding for research to help discover new therapies to treat the disease and advance patient care.”
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When the disease is caught at a local (early) stage, the five-year survival rate is 95%, the report stated.
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A new study suggests that middle-aged men may be more vulnerable to faster biological aging, potentially linked to exposure to “forever chemicals.”
The research, published in the journal Frontiers in Aging, examined how perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, more commonly known as PFAS, could impact aging at the cellular level.
PFAS are synthetic chemicals commonly used in nonstick cookware, food packaging, water-resistant fabrics and other consumer products, the study noted.
Their chemical structure makes them highly resistant to breaking down, allowing them to accumulate in water, soil and the human body.
Chinese researchers analyzed blood samples from 326 adults enrolled in the U.S. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey between 1999 and 2000.
A new study suggests that middle-aged men could face accelerated biological aging at the cellular level due to exposure to PFAS. (iStock)
The researchers measured levels of 11 PFAS compounds in participants’ blood and used DNA-based “epigenetic clocks” — tools that analyze chemical changes to DNA to estimate biological age — to determine how quickly their bodies were aging at the cellular level, the study stated.
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Two compounds, perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA) and perfluorooctanesulfonamide (PFOSA), were detected in 95% of participants.
Higher concentrations of those chemicals were associated with faster biological aging in men of certain age groups, but not in women.
“People should not panic.”
The compounds most strongly linked to accelerated aging were not the PFAS chemicals that typically receive the most public attention, the researchers noted.
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“The associations were strongest in adults aged 50 to 64, particularly in men,” Dr. Xiangwei Li, professor at Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine and the study’s corresponding author, told Fox News Digital.
“While this does not establish that PFAS cause aging, it suggests that these widely present ‘forever chemicals’ may be linked to molecular changes related to long-term health and aging.”
The study found that two of the compounds were detected in 95% of participants, and higher levels were linked to faster biological aging in men ages 50–64. (iStock)
Midlife may represent a more sensitive biological period, when the body becomes more vulnerable to age-related stressors, according to the researchers.
Lifestyle factors, such as smoking, may influence biological aging markers, potentially increasing vulnerability to environmental pollutants.
While Li said “people should not panic,” she does recommend looking for reasonable ways to reduce exposure.
That might mean checking local drinking water reports, using certified water filters designed to reduce PFAS, and limiting the use of stain- or grease-resistant products when alternatives are available.
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Meaningful reductions in PFAS exposure will likely depend on broader regulatory action and environmental cleanup efforts, Li added.
The researchers noted that midlife could be a particularly sensitive stage, when the body is more susceptible to stressors associated with aging. (iStock)
Study limitations
The researchers outlined several important limitations of the research, including that the findings show an association, but do not prove that PFAS directly causes accelerated aging.
“The study is cross-sectional, meaning exposure and aging markers were measured at the same time, so we cannot determine causality,” Li told Fox News Digital.
The study was also relatively small, limited to 326 adults age 50 or older, which means the findings may not apply to younger people or broader populations.
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Researchers measured PFAS levels using data collected between 1999 and 2000, and today’s exposure patterns may differ.
Li added that while PFAS is known to persist in the environment and the body, these results should be validated through larger, more recent studies that follow participants over time.
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