April 3, 2014

using ketamine for depression

Around 1 in 10 people in the UK get depression, and whilst there are treatments, around 30% of patients do not respond to existing drugs. In the search for alternatives the spotlight has fallen on the class B drug ketamine, which is now being used in some clinics in the US.

The controversial treatment is in early stages of research and whilst recent work has shown that ketamine may have a short-term impact for single use, questions remain over whether the treatment could be used long-term. Experts came to the SMC to talk about the first UK research which investigates its safety and efficacy in a small trial and the implications of their findings. The research is published in the Journal of Psychopharmacology.

Speakers:

Dr Rupert McShane, Consultant Psychiatrist and Honorary Senior Clinical Lecturer, Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust and University of Oxford.  He leads the REDKITE study (Resistant Depression – Ketamine Infusion Treatment Evaluation), and the local clinical ECT service

Dr James Stone, MRC Clinical Senior Lecturer and Honorary Consultant in Psychiatry, King’s College London’s Institute of Psychiatry