President Trump signed an executive order directing the federal government to relax research restrictions on psychedelic drugs, specifically naming ibogaine, during a signing ceremony Saturday. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and podcaster Joe Rogan were among those present in the Oval Office.
The order, the administration says, will “dramatically accelerate access to new medical research and treatments based on psychedelic drugs,” which Trump described as showing “life-changing potential.” He announced a $50 million federal investment for psychedelic studies and said the administration would open a pathway for ibogaine to be administered to “desperately ill patients” under the Food and Drug Administration’s Right To Try rule. Trump emphasized potential benefits for veterans, citing high suicide rates and saying the treatments could have “a tremendous impact on this country and in other countries too.”
FDA Commissioner Marty Makary said three psychedelics will be added to the National Priority Voucher pilot program, which is designed to shorten review times for drugs and biologics that align with U.S. health priorities. Makary said the FDA will begin the process to allow researchers to conduct human trials of ibogaine, calling it an “unmet public health need” with “potentially promising treatments” and urging a sense of urgency.
Ibogaine is a naturally occurring compound found in a shrub native to Africa and has been used experimentally in some countries to treat depression, anxiety, addiction, post-traumatic stress disorder and brain trauma. Early research suggests it could help address gaps in addiction treatment, including opioid dependence, but larger, well-controlled clinical trials are needed to establish safety and efficacy.
Most existing data on ibogaine come from small observational studies and open-label trials; only one double-blind, placebo-controlled randomized clinical trial has been completed. More advanced trials have recently begun, and some states have moved independently: Texas approved $50 million last year for state research into the compound. How the new federal funds and regulatory pathways will be deployed has not been finalized; administration sources told CBS News implementation strategies are still being worked out.
Ibogaine is currently classified as a Schedule I substance by the Drug Enforcement Administration. Because of that status, some Americans have traveled to unregulated clinics abroad, commonly in Mexico or the Caribbean, to receive treatments. Safety concerns are significant: scientific studies show ibogaine can cause dangerous heart rhythm disturbances, and a 2023 review of 24 studies involving 705 people described the risk of death from heart problems as “worrying.” At least 27 deaths have been linked to ibogaine use. Any expanded research will aim to better define both potential benefits and serious risks.