< Back to all clusters
[HEALTH] · United States · 2 sources

Ketamine therapy safety concerns rise amid growing market

The American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) is calling for increased patient protections and oversight in the ketamine therapy market, which is projected to nearly triple in value over the next decade. While the FDA has approved ketamine as an anesthetic, its use for treating mental health conditions like depression and PTSD is currently off-label.

ASA President Patrick Giam has expressed concerns regarding the safety of unsupervised use and home delivery of the drug, noting that ketamine can affect heart rate, blood pressure, and breathing. This follows a reported incident in New York where a woman died after being prescribed at-home ketamine via telehealth while also taking Xanax.

In contrast to the concerns over ketamine oversight, a study led by Oregon Health & Science University regarding the first state-regulated psilocybin program in the U.S. reported positive outcomes. Tracking 346 participants, researchers found that 92.2 percent of individuals reported beneficial experiences one month after dosing, with significant improvements in mental health and life satisfaction.

Entities

Adrianne R. Wilson-Poe · American Society of Anesthesiologists · Oregon Health & Science University · Patrick Giam · U.S. Food and Drug Administration

Claims

What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.