# US VA expands psychedelic trials for veteran PTSD > Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/us-ptsd-treatment-developments > Updated: 2026-08-16T23:04:37.000Z. Sources: 21. Developments: 7. Mid‑July reports highlighted the absence of new pharmacologic PTSD options in the U.S., prompting clinics such as AtBrainHealth Solutions in Costa Mesa to adopt the five‑day, high‑dose SAINT TMS protocol. With no approved drugs for over 25 years, many veterans continue to seek experimental psychedelic‑assisted care abroad, especially in Mexico. Domestic research is accelerating following an executive order to increase federal research funding and accelerate psychedelic‑treatment reviews. A pilot study led by Alan Davis at Ohio State University involving 12 veterans with treatment‑resistant PTSD reported that nine participants no longer met PTSD criteria one month after receiving two doses of synthetic psilocybin combined with intensive psychotherapy. Building on this momentum, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs has launched the Psilocybin Intervention for Veterans Overcoming Treatment-Resistant Depression (PIVOT) study. This Phase 3 study is a national, double‑blind, randomized controlled trial investigating the efficacy of pharmaceutical‑grade psilocybin for veterans facing both PTSD and treatment‑resistant major depressive disorder. Expanding these efforts, the VA has initiated two new clinical trials. One randomized, double‑blind, placebo‑controlled study will test MDMA‑assisted psychotherapy in approximately 80 veterans suffering from both PTSD and alcohol‑use disorder at facilities in Rhode Island and Connecticut. The VA’s broader psychedelic research portfolio now includes roughly 20 studies. Parallel to federal research, nonprofit organizations like the Heroic Hearts Project continue to facilitate psychedelic retreats in Mexico. These programs utilize substances such as psilocybin and 5-MeO-DMT to help veterans manage combat-related trauma and other significant personal histories. ## Timeline ### 2026-08-16: Heroic Hearts Project uses psychedelics to treat veteran PTSD The Heroic Hearts Project is using psychedelic retreats in Mexico to help veterans treat PTSD and process both combat-related and pre-service childhood trauma. 2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/heroic-hearts-project-uses-psychedelics-to-treat-veteran-ptsd ### 2026-08-13: Department of Veterans Affairs launches psilocybin trial for veterans The VA has launched the PIVOT Phase 3 trial to study psilocybin for veterans with treatment-resistant depression, though completion is not expected until 2031. 2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/department-of-veterans-affairs-launches-psilocybin-trial-for-veterans ### 2026-08-10: U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs to test psilocybin for depression The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs is conducting a national clinical trial, including sites in Alabama, to study psilocybin as a treatment for veterans with treatment-resistant depression and PTSD. 2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/us-department-of-veterans-affairs-to-test-psilocybin-for-depression ### 2026-08-06: U.S. Veterans Affairs starts psychedelic trials for PTSD The U.S. Veterans Affairs has started MDMA and psilocybin trials to treat veterans with severe PTSD and related disorders, enrolling participants in Rhode Island and Connecticut as part of a broader psychedelic 2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/us-veterans-affairs-starts-psychedelic-trials-for-ptsd ### 2026-07-30: US veterans see PTSD remission in psilocybin pilot study A US pilot study of 12 veterans with treatment‑resistant PTSD found nine achieved remission after two doses of synthetic psilocybin combined with psychotherapy, indicating promise for larger trials. 8 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/us-veterans-see-ptsd-remission-in-psilocybin-pilot-study ### 2026-07-25: PTSD Treatment Advances: Medical Marijuana, Trauma‑Focused Therapy and Guided Exposure Show Promise New research highlights medical marijuana, trauma-focused CBT for psychosis patients, and guided exposure walks as promising PTSD treatments. 4 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/ptsd-treatment-advances-medical-marijuana-traumafocused-therapy-and-guided-exposure-show-promise ### 2026-07-13: Veterans Seek Advanced Therapies for PTSD as US Options Lag Veterans with PTSD are turning to fast‑track SAINT TMS therapy and, due to limited US options, traveling abroad for psychedelic treatments, prompting calls for regulated domestic access. 2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/veterans-seek-advanced-therapies-for-ptsd-as-us-options-lag --- Cite as: US VA expands psychedelic trials for veteran PTSD. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/us-ptsd-treatment-developments