Could Ketamine on the NHS help treat severe depression?
Summary
In Scotland, there is interest in using ketamine, a drug known for its medical and recreational uses, to treat severe depression. A private clinic in Hamilton is already offering ketamine therapy to patients, and an NHS psychiatrist hopes to open a similar clinic by the end of the year. Ketamine is currently used "off-label" for depression, and there are discussions about making it available through the NHS.Key Facts
- Ketamine is a drug used as an anaesthetic but is also known as a party drug.
- A private clinic in Hamilton, Scotland offers ketamine therapy to people with depression that doesn't respond to other treatments.
- The treatment at the private clinic costs £6,000 for four ketamine infusions and psychotherapy.
- NHS Lothian psychiatrist plans to set up a ketamine clinic as an alternative to electroconvulsive therapy (ECT).
- Ketamine is not officially licensed for depression treatment but can be prescribed "off-label," meaning doctors can use it for purposes not officially approved.
- The use of ketamine as a recreational drug is linked to health risks, including serious damage to the bladder.
- Esketamine, a form of ketamine available as a nasal spray, is approved in Scotland for treatment-resistant depression, but intravenous ketamine is not.
- Ketamine therapy's high cost makes it inaccessible for some, leading to calls for NHS to offer it.
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