WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump signed an executive order on April 18, 2026, aimed at dramatically accelerating access to medical research and treatments based on psychedelic drugs.
The order directs the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to expedite review of psychedelic compounds, particularly ibogaine, a plant-based hallucinogen that veteran groups say shows promise for treating post-traumatic stress disorder and traumatic brain injury.
“In many cases, these experimental treatments have shown life-changing potential for those suffering from severe mental illness and depression, including our cherished veterans,” Trump said during the Oval Office signing ceremony.
The executive order also allocates $50 million in federal funding to support state-level research into ibogaine and establishes a pathway for the substance to be administered to seriously ill patients under the Right to Try Act.
Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said the order would “remove legal impediments” blocking American researchers from properly studying these medicines. FDA Commissioner Marty Makary added that drugs could potentially be approved “in weeks, not a year” under the new framework.
Podcaster Joe Rogan, who attended the signing, told reporters he had urged Trump to act after learning about ibogaine’s potential benefits for veterans struggling with suicide and depression.
The order applies to ibogaine, psilocybin, LSD and MDMA, though safety concerns remain as ibogaine is classified as a Schedule I substance and has been linked to heart-related risks.
