A key FDA advisory committee today rejected the use of a psychedelic drug to help patients

struggling with post-traumatic stress disorder, questioning the trials and its effectiveness. The FDA must now decide whether it will follow the had long our science correspondent, Miles O'Brien,

covered this day-long hearing

and he joins us now.

So Miles, why did the committee

rejected?

There'd been so much interest around this drug.

Jeff, it's a complicated one for the FDA because we're not talking just about a drug, we're

talking about a treatment regime that involves the drug, plus a very elaborate set of psychotherapy.

And the FDA, interestingly, does not regulate psychotherapy.

In addition, the psychotherapy,

which was part of this study was not standardized. The study also had a very fundamental problem which is to say it could not be properly blinded. Those who receive MDMA, ecstasy,

Not in a sugar pill, you know you didn't.

And so it was very difficult to get really objective results because the psychological factor of knowing that

you've had it favors a favorable outcome or a favorable response I should say.

And in addition to that, the company overlooked problems,

or so the committee determined,

overlooked problems in its pursuit of approval of this drug.

It really was a surprising decision, particularly given what we have heard over the years

from many of the subjects who have described this drug and this therapy as a life-changing experience.

C.J. Harden is a former Army helicopter mechanic and machine gunner who faced imminent death in Iraq and also after he got home.

I didn't trust myself having a weapon around me because I was suicidal, very suicidal at that point.

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