A new tablet form of ketamine has shown promise in treating severe depression, offering a take-at-home alternative to existing clinic-based treatments, which can be expensive and lacking in convenience for some patients.

Professor Paul Glue of the University of Otago and colleagues from other research institutions in Australia and New Zealand ran a randomized controlled trial testing the effectiveness of ketamine tablets to treat depression compared with placebo. The results were published today (June 24) in Nature Medicine.

No tripping required

Unlike injectable and nasal spray alternatives, the new slow-release tablet form can be taken safely at home without medical supervision and with negligible side effects. The researchers say the new tablet challenges beliefs about how ketamine works in helping people successfully overcome depression: the psychedelic-assisted therapy model, which says changing your brain circuit functioning in a very profound way gives you new insights that help you to break out of your way of thinking.

The new drug requires further research and is not yet approved by the FDA in the US or the TGA in Australia. (We hope our down-under readers keep us advised.)

Citation: Glue, P., Loo, C., Fam, J., Lane, H., Young, A. H., & Surman, P. (2024). Extended-release ketamine tablets for treatment-resistant depression: A randomized placebo-controlled phase 2 trial. Nature Medicine, 1-6. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41591-024-03063-x

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