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Ketamine not FDA-approved for mental health
Ketamine is traditionally used in a hospital environment or by doctors. But now, many ketamine treatment clinics are popping up across southeast Wisconsin. People are going there to be treated for depression.
MILWAUKEE - Ketamine is traditionally used in a hospital environment or by doctors. But now, many ketamine treatment clinics are popping up across southeast Wisconsin. People are going there to be treated for depression.
The question now is, how is ketamine being regulated? The short answer is ketamine is not FDA approved for mental health treatment.
Corin Purifoy struggles with depression.
"I can very honestly say this has saved my life," Purifoy said. "Been hospitalized before, been in residential treatment, and nothing was ever effective."
Corin Purifoy
For the past two years, Purifoy has been undergoing ketamine therapy at Edelica Health in Milwaukee to treat depression.
"Barely able to get out of bed and feed myself. After a treatment here, I am back to normal and back to my happy self," Purifoy said.
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Dr. Kevin Kane with Edelica Health said Purifoy is not alone.
"With ketamine, we see those same people who have tried three, four, five of those antidepressants and seven out of ten see success," Dr. Kane said.
Dr. Kevin Kane
Although doctors are allowed to prescribe ketamine, the FDA has yet to approve it to treat depression.
"It’s not approved for depression, but it is approved from antesthia," Dr. Kane said.
So how do doctors regulate it?
"The dose we use is a much less dose; it’s a subantistheitic dose," Dr. Kane said. 45:15 "Around 20% of that. It’s safe to give in a clinical setting."
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Dr. Kane said while ketamine does not work on everyone, it can help some.
"It needs to be done in a clinical setting, monitored," Dr. Kane said.
"You just feel kind of ready to face everything," Purifoy said.
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According to investigators, two doctors were initially sourcing Matthew Perry with a supply of ketamine, but when the drugs became too expensive, he turned to others, including a woman known as the "Ketamine Queen of Los Angeles."
Dr. Kane also noted that ketamine should not be used recreationally. That is where dependence and abuse come into play.