Trump signs executive order fast-tracking psychedelic therapy approvals

President Trump signed an executive order on April 18, 2026, directing the FDA to create an accelerated review pathway for psychedelic-assisted therapies including psilocybin, MDMA, ketamine, and ibogaine. The order allocated $50 million in HHS funds to match state investments in psychedelics research and required the DEA and FDA to establish a Right to Try pathway for patients to access investigational psychedelics under Phase 3 clinical trials. Veterans groups had lobbied extensively for the order, citing ibogaine's effectiveness in treating PTSD and traumatic brain injuries.