Trending Now - FDA Expedites Review of Psychedelic Drugs for Depression Treatment

WHO:

NBC News Health - Dr. Peg Nopoulos, chair of the University of Iowa’s psychiatry department, emphasized the importance of rigorous research in psychedelic drug trials, stating, “the science behind it has to be rock solid.”

Fast Company - Dr. Peg Nopoulos stated, “I’m a scientist, and there’s no way we can approve a drug without understanding who’s going to benefit from it, who’s not going to benefit from it and what the risks are.”

Fast Company - Dr. Peg Nopoulos, chair of the University of Iowa’s psychiatry department, emphasized the need for rigorous research in psychedelic drug trials, stating, “the science behind it has to be rock solid.”

Fast Company - The FDA, three unnamed companies, FDA commissioner Marty Makary, President Trump, Dr. Peg Nopoulos (chair of the University of Iowa’s psychiatry department).

WHAT:

Fast Company - The FDA's expedited review process could lead to FDA-approved psychedelics being available as soon as summer 2026.

Fast Company - The FDA issued priority vouchers to three currently unnamed companies for the expedited review of psychedelic drugs.

Fast Company - The FDA's expedited review process could lead to FDA-approved psychedelics being available as soon as summer 2026.

Fast Company - The FDA's expedited review shortens the review process from its standard 10 to 12 months to just one to two months.

Fast Company - The FDA's expedited review process for the three psychedelic drugs is part of the Commissioner’s National Priority Voucher (CNPV) program, which aims to reduce inefficiencies in drug approval.

Fast Company - The FDA's expedited review could lead to FDA-approved psychedelics being available as soon as summer 2026.

Fast Company - The FDA issued priority vouchers to three currently unnamed companies for the expedited review of psychedelic drugs.

Fast Company - The Justice Department announced a new hearing on April 23rd, 2026, to reclassify marijuana from a Schedule I drug to a Schedule II drug.

Fast Company - The FDA's expedited review could lead to FDA-approved psychedelics being available as soon as summer 2026.

Fast Company - The drug methylone is described as a stimulant similar to MDMA, which is being studied for treating PTSD.

Fast Company - The FDA granted an expedited review process to three experimental psychedelic drugs on April 24th, 2026.

Fast Company - The expedited review shortens the FDA’s standard review process from 10 to 12 months to just one to two months.

NBC News Health - The drugs under review are intended to treat major depression and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Fast Company - Two of the companies are expected to research psilocybin for depression, while one will study methylone for PTSD.

Fast Company - The FDA’s rapid review is part of the Commissioner’s National Priority Voucher (CNPV) program, which launched in June of 2025.

WHERE:

Fast Company - The FDA is based in the United States.

WHEN:

Fast Company - The Justice Department announced a new hearing on April 23rd, 2026, to reclassify marijuana from a Schedule I drug to a Schedule II drug.

Fast Company - A new hearing by the Justice Department is scheduled to begin on June 29th, 2026.

Fast Company - President Trump signed an executive order on April 18th, 2026, directing the FDA to grant priority vouchers.

Fast Company - The CNPV program was launched in June 2025.

Fast Company - The FDA granted the expedited review on April 24th, 2026.

Fast Company - President Trump signed an executive order on April 18th, 2026, directing the FDA to grant priority vouchers.

Fast Company - A new hearing by the Justice Department is scheduled to begin on June 29th, 2026.

WHY:

Fast Company - The reclassification of marijuana aims to ease the process of new research into its medical applications and make federal legalization more feasible.

Fast Company - The Trump administration's efforts to expedite drug approvals are aimed at addressing the nation’s mental health crisis.

Fast Company - The reclassification of marijuana aims to ease the process of new research into its medical applications and make federal legalization more feasible.

Fast Company - FDA commissioner Marty Makary stated that psychedelics “have the potential to address the nation’s mental health crisis, including conditions like treatment resistant depression, alcoholism and other serious mental health and substance abuse conditions.”

Fast Company - The expedited review aims to address the nation’s mental health crisis, including treatment-resistant depression and PTSD.

Fast Company - President Trump’s executive order aims to ensure that red tape does not delay the FDA’s review of potential therapies.

HOW:

Fast Company - The CNPV program allows companies to submit the majority of the drug application before a clinical trial is complete to streamline the approval process.

Fast Company - The CNPV program allows companies to submit the majority of the drug application before a clinical trial is complete to reduce inefficiencies, according to FDA commissioner Marty Makary.

Fast Company - The CNPV program allows companies to submit the majority of the drug application before a clinical trial is complete to reduce inefficiencies.

Fast Company - The FDA issues priority vouchers to expedite the review process for drugs that have received Breakthrough Therapy designations.

(UPDATED April 25, 2026 19:14 UTC)

Dr. Peg Nopoulos, chair of the University of Iowa’s psychiatry department, highlighted the necessity of rigorous research in psychedelic drug trials, insisting that “the science behind it has to be rock solid.” The FDA's expedited review process could pave the way for FDA-approved psychedelics to be available as soon as summer 2026, and they have already issued priority vouchers to three unnamed companies for this expedited review. In related news, the Justice Department recently announced a new hearing scheduled for June 29, 2026, to discuss the reclassification of marijuana from a Schedule I to a Schedule II drug, a move aimed at facilitating research into its medical applications and advancing federal legalization efforts.

(UPDATED April 25, 2026 15:11 UTC)

President Trump signed an executive order on Saturday, directing the FDA to grant priority vouchers, which could significantly shorten the review process for new drugs from the standard 10 to 12 months down to just one to two months. This expedited review could potentially lead to FDA-approved psychedelics being available as soon as summer 2026, as the administration aims to address the nation’s mental health crisis. Dr. Peg Nopoulos emphasized the importance of understanding who will benefit from these drugs and the associated risks before any approval can be granted.

(UPDATED April 25, 2026 11:10 UTC)

Dr. Peg Nopoulos, chair of the University of Iowa’s psychiatry department, has called for rigorous research in psychedelic drug trials, emphasizing that “the science behind it has to be rock solid.” The FDA's expedited review process for three psychedelic drugs is part of the Commissioner’s National Priority Voucher program, launched in June 20th25, which aims to reduce inefficiencies in drug approval as part of Trump’s efforts to address the nation’s mental health crisis. This program allows companies to submit most of their drug applications before completing clinical trials, streamlining the approval process.

(UPDATED April 25, 2026 01:22 UTC)

The FDA's expedited review process could lead to FDA-approved psychedelics being available as soon as summer 2026, as they have issued priority vouchers to three currently unnamed companies for this review. Meanwhile, the Justice Department announced a new hearing on Thursday to reclassify marijuana from a Schedule I drug to a Schedule II drug, a move aimed at easing research into its medical applications and making federal legalization more feasible. These developments mark significant steps in the evolving landscape of drug policy and research in the United States.

(UPDATED April 24, 2026 21:15 UTC)

The FDA's expedited review process could make FDA-approved psychedelics available as soon as summer 2026, with the drug methylone, a stimulant similar to MDMA, being studied for its potential to treat PTSD. FDA commissioner Marty Makary emphasized that psychedelics could play a crucial role in addressing the nation's mental health crisis, including conditions like treatment-resistant depression and alcoholism. The CNPV program allows companies to submit most of their drug applications before completing clinical trials, which aims to streamline the approval process.

(UPDATED April 24, 2026 19:18 UTC)

The FDA has granted an expedited review process to three experimental psychedelic drugs aimed at treating major depression and post-traumatic stress disorder, significantly shortening the standard review time from up to a year to just one or two months. This decision, made on Friday, follows an executive order signed by Trump on Saturday, directing the FDA to prioritize these potential therapies as part of a broader effort to tackle the nation’s mental health crisis. Two of the companies will focus on researching psilocybin for depression, while one will study methylone for PTSD, under the FDA's National Priority Voucher program launched in June 20th25.