Ibogaine For The Treatment of Drug Addiction

April 7, 2009. John Harrison Discusses Ibogaine Research at Provider Summit in Sayulita, Mexico:

As of April 7, 2009, the thirteenth of 30 subjects has been enrolled in the MAPS-sponsored ibogaine outcome study at the Pangea Biomedics Ibogaine Association in Playas de Tijuana, Mexico. The study is being conducted by John Harrison, PsyD Candidate at California Institute for Integral Studies.

From March 20-27, John Harrison attended an international ibogaine conference in Sayulita, Mexico. This invitation-only conference was hosted by "Awakening in The Dream House," an ibogaine treatment clinic located in San Pancho, Mexico. The conference was held in honor of Howard Lotsof, who discovered the 'addiction interrupting' benefits of ibogaine more than 40 years ago. Fifty providers, clinicians, researchers, physicians, artists and journalists from around the world gathered for the conference/celebration. Among the attendees was Ken Alper, MD, who presented on the mechanism of action of ibogaine in the brain. Dr. Alper discussed addiction as pathological learning and emphasized the need for more extensive research.

John discussed MAPS ibogaine outcome study and early findings of his research. He extended invitations to several clinics and treatment providers world-wide to join with MAPS in developing further research into the psychedelic tool, ibogaine, as a treatment for addiction.

This study is fully funded.

March 12, 2009. Within the last two weeks, MAPS has raised $31,000 for the MAPS-sponsored ibogaine outcome study enabling the study to be completed! The study has enrolled the 12th subject out of 30.

Principal Investigator John Harrison, "is heartened by, and grateful for the commitment of [the subjects] to stay connected and make such a vital contribution to this innovative research."

John attended the Boston ibogaine conference, where he presented information about his study design and very preliminary findings, and engaged in question and answers with forum attendees. The forum included many prominent members of the ibogaine movement including organizer Dana Beal, the inimitable Patrick Kroupa, Dr. Carl Anderson, Rocky Caravelli, and many others. MAPS President Rick Doblin PhD closed the conference with an inspiring talk calling on researchers to share information and also an appeal to support this ground-breaking study. Video of Ricks and Johns presentation are available to be viewed online.

February 6, 2009. Ibogaine Study Enrolls Tenth Patient – Study Still Needs Funding:

The 10th subject has now been enrolled in the MAPS-sponsored ibogaine outcome study taking place at the Pangaea Biomedics treatment center in Playas de Tijuana, Mexico and conducted by Principle Investigator John Harrison PsyD Candidate. While enrollment is happening rapidly, donations are lacking for us to be able to evaluate all 30 patients called for in the protocol. This study is inexpensive compared to other studies that MAPS conducts, with a budget of just $1000 per patient for a total cost of $30,000. The cost is low since this is an observational study of subjects who are paying for their own treatment, rather than a MAPS-sponsored controlled clinical trial in which MAPS would need to cover all expenses of the treatment as well as the evaluation. Until we receive donations for this study, we are going to be capping enrollment at 15 subjects.

This will become the first study ever conducted and reported in the public domain regarding long-term outcomes of ibogaine treatment of opiate addiction. Ibogaine has been reported for several decades to have sometimes-miraculous abilities to set opiate and other addicts free from their addictions, but there still have been no prospective studies published looking at long-term outcomes. Depending on the results, this study could help give legitimacy to the now alternative treatment found outside of the US, or underground within the US.

We would very much like to enroll all 30 subjects originally intended for the study. We once again ask the MAPS community to help us find people who would like to support this research by making donations restricted to the project.

January 9, 2009. Ibogaine Project has Sixth Subject, Funding is Still Needed.

At the beginning of 2009, the sixth subject was enrolled in the MAPS-sponsored ibogaine outcome study taking place at the Pangaea Biomedics treatment center in Playas de Tijuana, Mexico. The principle investigator is John Harrison PsyD Candidate. Our goal is to evaluate 30 patients on a monthly basis for a full year after treatment with ibogaine for opiate addiction. We are very pleased with the rapid enrollment of subjects.

This will become the first such study ever conducted into the long-term outcomes of ibogaine in the treatment of opiate addiction. Ibogaine has been touted for several decades to have sometimes-miraculous abilities to set opiate and other addicts free from their addictions, but there still have been no prospective studies published looking at long-term outcomes. Depending on the results, this study could help give legitimacy to the now alternative treatment found outside of the US, or underground within the US. MAPS had previously started an ibogaine outcome study in Canada but that study ended early after the Iboga Therapy House at which the study took place closed for financial reasons.

We are still seeking restricted donations for this project. We ask the MAPS community to help us find people who would like to support this research by making donations restricted to the project. The project is estimated to cost $30,000 for 30 subjects, all of which remains to be raised. At a cost of $1000 per subject, this is an extremely cost-effective study. The cost is so low since this is an observational study of subjects who are paying for their own treatment, rather than a MAPS-sponsored controlled clinical trial in which MAPS would need to cover all expenses of the treatment as well as the evaluation.

December 10, 2008. Ibogaine Study Enrolls First Three Subjects: The MAPS-sponsored study in Playas de Tijuana of the long-term outcomes of ibogaine treatment for opiate addiction has enrolled the first three subjects.

October 3, 2008. Principal investigator John Harrison, PsyD candidate at the California Institute of Integral Studies (CIIS), received a letter from the Human Research Review Committee of CIIS granting final approval for the MAPS-sponsored ibogaine outcome protocol. John can now start our investigation into the short and longer-term outcomes of ibogaine treatment for opiate addiction.

The study will follow 30 patients who undergo ibogaine therapy at the Pangea Biomedics Ibogaine Association in Playas De Tijuana, Mexico for one year after their treatment.
In order to gather quantitative data about outcome, John will administer the Addiction Severity Index (ASI) on a monthly basis to each subject during an approximately one-hour phone conversation. Interviews with significant others will also be conducted, as a way to try to verify the accuracy of subject self-reports. Valerie Mojeiko, MAPS Director of Operations and Clinical Research, met with John Harrison to conduct a study initiation visit on October 9.

October 30, 2007. Canada's largest urban weekly, The Georgia Straight, published a feature article about the MAPS-sponsored observational case study in British Columbia evaluating ibogaine treatment in subjects with opiate dependence. The article includes some interesting personal anecdotes and analysis from MAPS President Rick Doblin, PhD, as well as a discussion of MAPS' FDA Phase II research evaluating MDMA-, LSD-, and psyilocybin-assisted psychotherapy.

July 17, 2007. The Huffington Post's Mary Clare Ditton published an interesting article about a new ibogaine treatment center in Barcelona. The article discusses the MAPS-sponsored long-term observational case study in Vancouver as well as the parallel ibogaine study that MAPS is developing in Mexico.

May 23, 2007. The Iboga Therapy House is now enrolling clients in MAPS' IRB-approved long-term observational case study. Three subjects have been enrolled in the study so far and will be followed up on a monthly basis for a full year after their initial ibogaine treatment. The study will examine changes in substance use in 20 consecutive individuals undergoing ibogaine-based addiction treatment for opiate dependence at the Iboga Therapy House near Vancouver, Canada.

Meanwhile, MAPS is currently developing the protocol for a parallel MAPS-sponsored observational case study in Mexico under the direction of Principal Investigator John Harrison, PsyD (cand). The study would evaluate changes in substance use in 20 consecutive individuals undergoing ibogaine-based addiction treatment for opiate dependence at Mexico's Ibogaine Association. The Ibogaine Association has been under new management since 2006, and has significantly upgraded the quality of services for its clients.

March 12, 2007. MAPS Clinical Research Associate Valerie Mojeiko is in Vancouver, Canada this week to conduct a study initiation visit for the MAPS-sponsored observational case study evaluating the long-term efficacy of ibogaine-assisted therapy in participants seeking treatment for opiate addiction at the Iboga Therapy House. If you or someone you know isinterested in receiving ibogaine therapy, you can learn more about the Iboga Therapy House and apply to their program at www.ibogatherapyhouse.net

December 8, 2006. "This American Life" on National Public Radio features a story about a former heroin addict who has been treating people addicted to heroin with ibogaine.

August 17, 2006. The MAPS-sponsored research team has now received "unconditional approval" from a Canadian Institutional Review Board (IRB) to proceed with a long-term observational case study that will examine changes in substance use in 20 consecutive people seeking ibogaine-based addiction treatment for opiate dependence at Iboga Therapy House in Vancouver. The Iboga Therapy House will now begin active recruitment of subjects.

August 10, 2006. British Columbia's The Tyee published "Psychedelics Could Treat Addiction, Says Vancouver Official," reporting that Vancouver's top drug policy official and B.C. public health physicians believe addicts might be treated by giving them psychedelic drugs, and they hope the city will lead in exploring the controversial approach.

August 4, 2006. After years of work and a number of significant changes to the original protocol, a MAPS-sponsored research team has received "conditional approval" from a Canadian Institutional Review Board (IRB) to proceed with a long-term observational case study that will examine changes in substance use in 20 consecutive people seeking ibogaine-based addiction treatment for opiate dependence at Iboga Therapy House in Vancouver. While originally designed as an "outcome study," the protocol was later changed to an observational case-study when the IRB expressed concerns that the initial design was too close to a clinical trial, which has a much stricter approval process, and was never the intention of the research team anyhow. The Principal Investigator is none other than Rick Doblin, Ph.D., and he'll be aided by Dr. Ken Alper and Leah Martin, with data analysis to be conducted by MAPS Research Associate Ilsa Jerome, Ph.D.

March 1, 2006. San Diego CityBeat published a positive depiction of ibogaine as a treatment for addiction at the Ibogaine Association in Tijuana, Mexico.

June 20, 2005. Two posters by Deborah Mash, Ph.D. and team were presented about ibogaine at the annual conference of the College on Problems of Drug Dependence (CPDD).

June 6, 2005. We received a copy of the autopsy report from the San Diego County medical examiner, who found that this patient died of natural causes, unrelated to ibogaine administration, although ibogaine was found in this patient's system at the time of autopsy. The patient suffered a sudden cardiac death due to acute myocardial infarct and acute coronary syndrome. Contributory causes to the death were fibromyalgia and chronic opiate pain medication dependency. The Ibogaine Associate closed briefly after the incident and reopened several weeks later after making several staff and procedural changes. At this time MAPS is not working with the Ibogaine Association.

May 29, 2005. Iboga Therapy House does not receive grant from Health Canada. MAPS awards a grant of up to $5000 to the Iboga Therapy House for assistance in setting up a non-profit ibogaine clinic that will charge a fee for treatments.

January 28, 2005. Iboga Therapy House (ITH), Vancouver, BC, Canada selected as new site for data collection. MAPS assists ITH in writing grant application to Health Canada for a pilot project to offer detoxification services to 20 people.

January 21, 2005. Data collection prematurely ended at the Ibogaine Association due to clinic closing after a subject in poor health died during a period of daily, low-dose treatment. We await the autopsy results and are currently looking for a new site to restart data collection.

January 10, 2005. Data collection begins at the Ibogaine Association

January 6, 2005. Valerie Mojeiko will soon be supervising and analyzing information from people treated at the Ibogaine Association in Mexico.