Trump Directs Faster Review of Psychedelic Drugs for Medical Use

The administration aims to accelerate access to potential treatments like ibogaine for conditions like PTSD and addiction.

Apr. 18, 2026 at 4:27pm

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A ghostly, translucent X-ray photograph of a human brain, its complex neural pathways glowing with vibrant neon-like lines against a dark background, conveying the intricate inner workings of the mind and the therapeutic possibilities of psychedelics.A visionary X-ray image reveals the intricate neural networks within the human brain, hinting at the transformative potential of psychedelic therapies.Washington Today

President Donald Trump has directed his administration to speed up reviews of certain psychedelic drugs, including ibogaine, which has shown promise for treating hard-to-treat conditions like post-traumatic stress disorder and opioid addiction. The move follows pledges by health officials to ease access to psychedelics for medical use, an issue that has won rare bipartisan support.

Why it matters

Psychedelics like ibogaine remain banned under the federal government's most restrictive category for illegal, high-risk drugs. However, veteran organizations and psychedelic advocates have long argued that these substances have great potential for treating difficult mental health conditions. This executive order could pave the way for more research and access, though ibogaine is known to carry serious safety risks.

The details

Trump's order calls on the Department of Health and Human Services to direct at least $50 million to states that have enacted or are developing programs to advance psychedelic drugs for serious mental illness. It's described as a federal-state partnership to provide funding, technical assistance and data sharing. The Food and Drug Administration will also issue national priority vouchers for three psychedelics, which can cut review times from months to weeks. The FDA is also taking steps to clear the way for the first-ever human trials of ibogaine in the U.S.

  • Trump signed the executive order on April 18, 2026.
  • The FDA will issue the priority vouchers for psychedelics next week.

The players

Donald Trump

The former president who signed the executive order to speed up reviews of psychedelic drugs for medical use.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

The Health Secretary who has pledged to ease access to psychedelics for medical purposes.

Marty Makary

The FDA Commissioner who said the agency will offer fast-tracking for certain psychedelic drugs.

Frederick Barrett

The director of the Johns Hopkins Center for Psychedelic and Consciousness Research, who expressed concerns about the safety of ibogaine.

Ismail Lourido Ali

The co-executive director of the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies, who said Trump's order might encourage more states to fund psychedelic research.

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What they’re saying

“Today's order will ensure that people suffering from debilitating symptoms might finally have a chance to reclaim their lives and lead a happier life.”

— Donald Trump, President

“If these turn out to be as good as people are saying, it's going to have a tremendous impact.”

— Donald Trump, President

“You're going to save a lot of lives through it. It absolutely changed my life for the better.”

— Marcus Luttrell, Former Navy SEAL

“The stigma around Schedule I drugs is significant. It feels like this would give pretty substantial cover for Republican governors and legislatures to step into the ring in terms of funding research programs at their universities.”

— Ismail Lourido Ali, Co-executive Director, Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies

“It's been incredibly difficult to study ibogaine in the U.S. because of its known cardiotoxicity. If the executive order can pave the way for doing objective, scientific research with this compound, it would help us understand whether it is truly a better psychedelic therapy than others.”

— Frederick Barrett, Director, Johns Hopkins Center for Psychedelic and Consciousness Research

What’s next

The judge in the case will decide on Tuesday whether or not to allow Walker Reed Quinn out on bail.

The takeaway

This executive order represents a significant shift in the federal government's approach to psychedelic drugs, potentially opening the door for more research and access to treatments that could help those suffering from difficult mental health conditions. However, the safety risks of substances like ibogaine remain a major concern that will need to be carefully addressed.