Trump’s VA Secretary Reaffirms Commitment To Exploring Psychedelic Therapy For Veterans

The head of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is reiterating his commitment to exploring psychedelic therapy options for the veteran community.

VA Secretary Doug Collins, a former Republican congressman, was pressed by a commenter on the social media site X about the agency’s work to expand alternative therapies and said in a reply on Monday that “we are looking at psychedelic treatments as well as other alternative treatments such as hyperbaric oxygen chambers, and virtual reality therapy.”

“We are also working with Congress to approve more treatments,” he said.

“I am committed to doing what we can to make the veteran’s care better.”

Rachel Yehuda, who has overseen some psychedelic research as director of mental health at VA’s James J. Peters Veterans Affairs Medical Center, responded to the secretary’s comment by saying it’s “great to hear this!”

Collins, for this part, disclosed earlier this month that he had an “eye-opening” talk with Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the Trump administration’s top federal health official, about the therapeutic potential of psychedelic medicine. And he intends to press Congress to take action on the issue.

He also said that he’s open to the idea of having the government provide vouchers to cover the costs of psychedelic therapy for veterans who receive services outside of VA as Congress considers pathways for access.

In December, VA separately announced that it’s providing $1.5 million in funding to study the efficacy of MDMA-assisted therapy for veterans with PTSD and alcohol use disorder (AUD).

Last year, VA’s Yehuda also touted an initial study the agency funded that produced “stunning and robust results” from its first-ever clinical trial into MDMA therapy.

In January, former VA Under Secretary for Health Shereef Elnahal said that it was “very encouraging” that Trump’s pick to have Kennedy lead the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has supported psychedelics reform. And he hoped to work with him on the issue if he stayed on for the next administration, but that didn’t pan out.

Meanwhile, advocates are also eager to see how Collins navigates marijuana policy issues at VA, which has historically resisted congressional efforts to reform rules around studying cannabis or authorizing government doctors to issue medical marijuana recommendations to veterans in legal states.

The official has a prior record of voting against medical cannabis access for military veterans during his time in Congress.

Separately, a GOP congressman recently cheered news that the Department of Defense (DOD) has allocated nearly $10 million in funding for research into the therapeutic potential of MDMA for active-duty military members.

Another Republican congressman has also expressed optimism about the prospects of advancing psychedelics reform under Trump, arguing that the administration’s efforts to cut spending and the federal workforce will give agencies “spines” to tackle such complex issues.

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