Texas has taken a big step forward in its groundbreaking ibogaine research plans, awarding $50 million in state funds to a powerhouse team led by UTHealth Houston and The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston (UTMB Health).

The announcement from Texas Health and Human Services Commission explains the statewide partnership – known as Ibogaine Medicine for PTSD, Addiction, and Cognitive Trauma (IMPACT) – and how it will run clinical trials studying Ibogaine’s effects on addiction, traumatic brain injury (TBI), post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and other “behavioral health” conditions.

The IMPACT partnership will bring together a new collection of Texas institutions to help run the trials – including Texas Tech University, The University of Texas, Texas A&M University, The University of North Texas, Baylor College of Medicine, and JPS Health Network in Dallas.

The collaborative team will help by offering their clinical expertise, research labs, and drug-development data to advance the revolutionary ibogaine studies, hopefully toward eventual FDA approval.

UTHealth Houston and UTMB will lead efforts to study Ibogaine’s impact specifically on addiction treatment. At the same time, UT Austin and Baylor College of Medicine will reportedly prioritize traumatic brain injury studies, particularly in veterans.

The two-year trial aims to enroll participants, primarily veterans and first responders seeking an alternative form of treatment for their problems. It will operate under strict cardiac monitoring protocols, building on recent safety advancements like magnesium administration.

As previously reported by The Dallas Express, administering magnesium in a very specific way during Ibogaine testing can allegedly help stabilize patients medically, providing a much safer overall experience.

“This landmark clinical trial reflects our unwavering commitment to advancing research that improves lives and delivers the highest standards of care,” said Melina Kibbe, MD, UTHealth Houston president. “By joining forces with outstanding partners across our state, we are building on Texas’ tradition of innovation to ensure patients struggling with addiction and behavioral health conditions have access to the best possible outcomes. “

The progress in Ibogaine testing follows the passage of Senate Bill 2308, signed by Gov. Greg Abbott in 2025, which authorized the country’s largest state-funded psychedelic research program.

Previous coverage from DX spotlighted the bill’s potential to help treatment for veterans suffering specifically from PTSD, TBI, and opioid addiction, citing Stanford Medicine’s 2024-2025 study that showed a remarkable 88% reduction in PTSD symptoms among special operations veterans treated with Ibogaine and magnesium.

Now, experts across America seem to have welcomed the recent push for more Ibogaine research, recognizing the progress as a critical milestone for veterans and other patients in need.

“Governor Abbott’s $50 million investment in ibogaine research positions Texas as a pioneer in transforming how we approach treatment-resistant PTSD, addiction, and the veteran suicide crisis that’s claiming at least 17 lives every day. Ibogaine, which is showing powerful potential in addressing traumatic brain injury, interrupting addiction patterns, and reducing severe trauma symptoms, is a paradigm shift in psychiatric medicine, going past managing symptoms to the root causes of suffering,” Amber Capone, co-founder and CEO of Veterans Exploring Treatment Solutions (VETS), told DX.

“For veterans who have exhausted conventional treatment options, and many others, this investment will save lives,” Capone added.

Psychotherapist and addiction specialist John Puls also spoke to DX about the positive impacts of the psychedelic substance, but also expressed reservations about the drug until more research has been done.

“More research is needed, but it has been shown to provide rapid relief withdrawal symptoms, cravings, and motivation for sobriety. However, long-term outcomes for addiction are inconclusive, and adequate support groups, plus psychotherapy, is still best practice. In short, it should not be used as a stand alone treatment.… While ibogaine treatment has shown some promising results, more larger randomized clinical trials are needed. I’m hopeful that the grant will provide that.” Puls told DX.

The collective group of institutes involved in the research across Texas is now preparing Investigational New Drug applications with the FDA, as well as seeking to earn a “Breakthrough Therapy designation. “

If successful, the IMPACT initiative could pave the way for Ibogaine to become an FDA-approved form of treatment, offering new hope to thousands of veterans – and others – across America.