The Food & Drug Administration gave three companies approval Friday for a fast-track study of two psychedelic drugs for possible treatment of depression and post-traumatic stress disorder.

The move comes the day after the Trump administration reclassified marijuana from Schedule I — which is the same classification as heroin — to the lower classification of Schedule III. 

The FDA did not specify what companies will conduct the research, but two of the companies are studying psilocybin. One company is studying the drug for treatment-resistant depression and the other for treatment of major depressive disorder. 

The third company is studying methylone, which is similar to the psychedelic MDMA, as a possible treatment for PTSD.

“As this field moves forward, it is critical that their development is grounded in sound science and rigorous clinical evidence,” FDA Commissioner Marty Makary said in a statement. “We owe it to our nation’s veterans and all Americans who are suffering from these conditions to evaluate these potential therapies with urgency.” 

The FDA decision only allows the study to proceed and does not mean the drugs have been deemed safe or approved for widespread use.

Misty Severi is a news reporter for Just The News. You can follow her on X for more coverage.