Ketamine-Based Nasal Spray Approved By FDA As New Antidepressant

Ketamine is not a name that is usually received with excitement for scientists or the concerned. Its reputation as a powerful recreational drug far exceeds its usefulness. But it seems like Ketamine is making a comeback and this time around, it may be a great tool for doctors to treat a host of psychological disorders including anxiety, depression, and suicidal thinking.

New Treatment Course

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved a nasal spray prescription that’s based on Ketamine on Wednesday. Although the effect of the drug had made a lot of the scientists advocated for caution, they are excited about the availability of a new type of treatment. It could help greatly with alleviating stresses, depression, and suicidal thoughts in patients who previously found no benefits in other types of drug.

Words of Caution

When ‘Ketamine’ is mentioned, most do not think of it being medicinal. Instead, what most would think about is the club drug that can send you on what’s known as a ‘K-Hole’ trip: A state of dissociation where the user feels disconnected from his/her surroundings. Even as far as not being able to control themselves and their senses so impaired that they are unable to interact with others for a short period of time.

Needless to say, with uncontrolled and uneducated usage, it can be dangerous.

However, Ketamine has also come up as a candidate for the potential treatment of anxiety and depression for quite some time. It’s also the reason why up until now, a cottage industry of clinics prescribing patients Ketamine is on the rise.

Spravato

The FDA’s approval of the nasal spray, which will be called ‘Spravato’, manufactured and distributed by Johnson & Johnson will make treatment accessible and more efficient. Despite this, the FDA is recommending Spravato as a ‘last resort’, to be used only when no other types of treatment work.

It is an improvement for patients who have long suffered from the lack of expected result taking prescriptions such as Prozac and other dominant classes of antidepressant.

An Alternative, Not a Solution

Once again, researchers are still putting up speaking words of caution whenever possible. The thing is that depression is complex and Ketamine hasn’t managed to outperform a placebo in every trial conducted.

The nasal spray is simply an alternative method of treatment that’s stronger and might be capable of treating patients with more stubborn symptoms than previous prescriptions. However, it is not a surefire way of treating depression altogether. Nor it is an ultimate, cure-all antidepressant. The pharmaceutical industry still has a long way to go before they reach that point.

Nonetheless, it’s a piece of good news for those with depression for a new option that could potentially lift a portion of their weight and pave the way for complete treatment in the future.