MAPS (Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies)
Nonprofit pioneer funding and advancing psychedelic and MDMA research for medical and therapeutic use since 1986.
MAPS – About MAPS (official site)MAPS (Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit research and educational organization founded in 1986 and headquartered in San Jose, California. Founded by Rick Doblin, Ph.D., its mission is to develop medical, legal, and cultural contexts for the beneficial and careful use of psychedelics and marijuana, working closely with regulatory bodies such as the U.S. FDA and European Medicines Agency to design, fund, and obtain approval for clinical studies.
MAPS is best known for sponsoring the most advanced psychedelic-assisted therapy research in history, particularly its Phase 3 clinical trials of MDMA-assisted therapy for PTSD. Results from its MAPP2 trial showed that 71.2% of MDMA-assisted therapy participants no longer met diagnostic criteria for PTSD, compared to 47.6% in the placebo group. In early 2024, MAPS spun off Lykos Therapeutics to pursue FDA approval and insurance coverage for this treatment, though the FDA issued a Complete Response Letter declining approval in August 2024.
Despite the regulatory setback, MAPS continues its broader mission through policy advocacy, education, and supporting researchers worldwide. Its organizational model and research blueprint have been widely influential across the psychedelic science field. MAPS envisions a future where psychedelics and marijuana are safely and legally accessible for therapeutic benefit, making it a central node for any innovation touching psychedelic medicine, policy, or mental health treatment.