Does ‘Club Drug’ Ecstasy Have Therapeutic Value?
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Rating
Does ‘Club Drug’ Ecstasy Have Therapeutic Value?
Our Review Summary
The story is based on an early basic science study, evaluating the short-term effects of Ecstasy. But the story reports this very limited preliminary finding as if there were therapeutic meaning – even raising possible therapeutic value in the headline.
Why This Matters
MDMA is not to be taken lightly. Yet this story had an inadequate discussion of potential harms – and never firmly established benefits. How could you, after all, in a study of 21 healthy volunteers, only some of whom took the drug in question?
Criteria
Not Satisfactory
No mention of costs. What would be the cost of overcoming “trouble connecting with others socially”?
Not Satisfactory
What does it mean to suggest that the drug “significantly increase feelings of loving, friendliness and playfulness”?
How was this measured?
Did it occur in everyone?
Not Satisfactory
The story said that the drug “might impair a person’s perceptive abilities and thus prompt risk-taking.” Is that the only known risk of taking MDMA?
Not Satisfactory
There was no discussion of the limitations of drawing any conclusions from such a study in just 21 volunteers who were healthy. The conclusions are based on response to a single dose of the drug in a laboratory environment based on interactions with a research assistant and completion of questionnaires. It is a limited basic science study.
Not Satisfactory
There is no discussion of whether problems connecting with others socially is a disease that must be treated. This is a major issue. First, are we talking about social awkwardness or social phobia? There is a real danger of medicalizing a non-medical problem. Second, the study was done in NORMAL VOLUNTEERS. The idea of improving peoples’ ability to connect socially is SPECULATION.
Not Satisfactory
There was no truly independent source quoted. The only quote coming from anyone outside the current research team came from a researcher who also reported on MDMA research months ago.
What about the observation of someone who does not have a dog in the hunt?
Not Satisfactory
There was no discussion of other alternative approaches to help people socialize.
Not Satisfactory
The story states that “MDMA is part of a family of so-called “club drugs,” which are popular with some teens and young at all night dances or “raves.”
But it doesn’t tell readers anything about whether this is MDMA’s only use, and how it might be made available/distributed.
Satisfactory
The story at least referred to an earlier study published in July on MDMA in PTSD.
Not Applicable
We can’t be sure of the extent to which this story may have been influenced by a news release.
Total Score: 1 of 9 Satisfactory
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