In the News

Matthew Perry’s Death Shines a Harsh Light on Ketamine Treatment

Was Mr. Perry, whose struggles with substance abuse were widely known, a good candidate for a drug used to relieve depression? Doctors say his case raises thorny questions.

Following Details Surrounding Matthew Perry's Ketamine Use, ASKP3 Releases Statement & Guidelines For Treating Patients with a History of Substance Abuse

The society, which has 500+ members across a range of professional and medical ketamine practices, explains the reasons Matthew Perry may or may not have been a good candidate for ketamine therapy.

Concerns & Recommendations For Safe & Effective At-Home Ketamine Prescriptions

Amidst increased public interest and controversy around at-home ketamine, including recent reports that some telehealth companies offer self-administered subcutaneous treatment, the American Society of Ketamine Physicians, Psychotherapists & Practitioners (ASKP3), the largest society and think tank for ketamine practitioners, is releasing a summary of guidelines for at- home use. The aim is to underscore the importance of responsible treatment and emphasize the significance of safety and proper patient selection.

A renewed sense of hope for people living with challenging-to-treat depression.

From the Washington Post Article: “For Erin Amato, MD, interventional psychiatrist and medical director at Montana Psychiatry and Brain Health Center, the opportunity to help patients find relief from difficult-to-treat depression is both a professional calling and a personal mission. She was drawn to the field after witnessing loved ones struggle to access effective treatments and remains inspired by the potential of additional care options that can transform lives. “We’re really going through a renaissance in psychiatry with more and more treatments coming online,” Amato said. “It’s been so exciting to see.”

Ketamine therapy is raising concerns about overdoses, addiction and predatory business practices

Ketamine has become a popular alternative treatment for depression and other mental-health ailments — but doctors and regulators are increasingly concerned about its risks.

Wall Street Journal: Matthew Perry’s Death Darkens Ketamine’s Startup Glow

Matthew Perry’s death from the effects of ketamine brought new scrutiny to the booming business to prescribe the powerful anesthetic to patients in clinics and online.

Fox News Article: 5 myths about ketamine, the drug tied to Matthew Perry's death, according to doctors

After Matthew Perry’s cause of death was listed as “acute effects of ketamine” on Friday, experts are speaking out about misconceptions surrounding the drug.

The Washington Post: Is ketamine therapy safe? Answers to questions after Matthew Perry’s death.

Ketamine, once used primarily as a sedative or a psychedelic party drug, has become a popular fast-acting treatment for depression and other serious mental health conditions. But news that the actor Matthew Perry was undergoing ketamine therapy before his death has raised new questions about the drug’s safety.

ASKP Statement About Matthew Perry Death

In the wake of Matthew Perry’s autopsy report, we are committed to creating and publishing guidelines for at-home ketamine use, which should only be practiced with a very specific patient profile and only in the context of a close relationship with a provider and in-office follow-up.

ASKP3 Announces Expert Faculty & Think Tank

The American Society of Ketamine Physicians, Psychotherapists & Practitioners (ASKP3), the largest society and think tank for ketamine-based therapy practitioners, has announced the formation of a faculty of experts across multiple disciplines of ketamine therapy. The consortium of experts will serve as a faculty in three pillars – Community, Education, & Standards – with a mission of advancing ketamine-based treatments for mental and physical health.

For some, the drug ketamine can be a lifesaver. But recent shortages have made it hard to get

Samira Rostami has been getting massages for decades to relieve stress, but in the summer of 2021, a masseuse tried a new technique that would do the opposite of calming the body.

Article About Ketamine Therapy Shortage

Ketamine therapy is booming but clinics who treat people with depression and suicidal ideation say they’re being cut off from their supply.

When one of Melissa Whippo’s clients was assaulted in her home, the client wanted ketamine to help her process the trauma she was experiencing. But Whippo, a psychotherapist who offers ketamine-assisted therapy in Oakland, almost wasn’t able to provide that—because she was down to her last dose of the drug.

ASKP3 Releases New Patient Portal

Recent breakthroughs in the use of ketamine are changing the landscape of emerging treatment options for patients managing pain and mood disorders. The wide range of information about ketamine in news articles, blogs, and magazines can be confusing to the public seeking to learn more.

Ketamine for depression: What it feels like and who it can help

Ketamine is an anesthetic used to sedate both humans and pets, and it’s a favorite of partygoers seeking a psychedelic high. Now it’s also the subject of an enormous amount of interest as a fast-acting treatment for depression and other serious mental health conditions.

I Was Paralyzed by Severe Depression. Then Came Ketamine.

The summer I was 26 years old, I moved into my parents’ home in the Chicago suburbs because I could no longer care for myself.

I had been severely depressed for most of my life, but that summer five years ago, even the most mundane tasks became insurmountable. I spent days on the couch where I rarely spoke, my mind so dull I struggled to form words. I lay awake at night thinking, I can’t go on like this.

The Psychedelic Revolution Is Coming. Psychiatry May Never Be the Same.

Psilocybin and MDMA are poised to be the hottest new therapeutics since Prozac. Universities want in, and so does Wall Street. Some worry a push to loosen access could bring unintended consequences.

Ketamine: The Chemistry, Effects, and Brain Science

Ketamine is rapidly emerging as an incredibly effective and fast-acting mental health medicine. The drug first emerged after the synthesis of phencyclidine in 1956, an anesthetic for monkeys.

PharmaTher Provides Update on Psychedelic Product Programs

TORONTO, April 15, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — PharmaTher Holdings Ltd. (the “Company” or “PharmaTher”) (CSE: PHRM) (OTCQB: PHRRF), a specialty psychedelic pharmaceutical company, is pleased to provide an update on its psychedelic product programs as it relates to the clinical and commercial development of ketamine and the research and development of proprietary microneedle patch delivery systems for psychedelics such as ketamine, psilocybin, N,N-Dimethyltryptamine (“DMT”), 3,4-Methyl enedioxy methamphetamine (“MDMA”) and lysergic acid diethylamide (“LSD”).

Childhood Maltreatment May Predict Better Response to IV Ketamine

Confirming results from a previous smaller study, researchers found people who reported a history of childhood maltreatment had a more robust response to intravenous (IV) ketamine than other depressed adults seeking ketamine treatment.

Low-Dose Ketamine Effective in Treating Trauma Pain

Low doses of ketamine are just as effective at treating trauma pain in emergency room patients as larger standard doses, according to a new study by researchers at Loyola University Medical Center in Chicago.

Novamind (OTC: NVMDF) Partners with Merck (NYSE: MRK) for New Treatment-Resistant Depression Trial

TORONTO, ON / March 18, 2021 / Novamind Inc., (CSE:NM)(OTC PINK:NVMDF)(FSE:HN2) (“Novamind” or the “Company”), a leading mental health company specialized in psychedelic medicine, is pleased to announce that its wholly-owned subsidiary, Cedar Clinical Research (“CCR”) has been selected as a key research site for a clinical trial focused on treatment-resistant depression by Merck & Co., (“Merck”), a world-leading pharmaceutical company.

The COVID-19 Pandemic: Helping Those Who Suffer in Silence

There is no question that the pandemic has shaped myriad aspects of life as we know it, including significantly impacting the mental health care industry. While the unprecedented events have resulted in mental health challenges, it has also delivered growth in the area as well.

How to Identify and Tackle Treatment-Resistant Depression in Geriatric Patients

“The problem of treatment-resistant depression in later life `{`TRD-LL`}` is increasingly recognized but remains poorly characterized,” Randall Espinoza, MD, MPH, told the audience at the American Association of Geriatric Psychiatry Annual Meeting. According to Espinoza, estimates of its prevalence run from 6% up to 40% in geriatric patients with depression, depending on how treatment-resistant depression (TRD) is defined.

Otsuka partners with atai unit on alternative ketamine-based treatments for depression

NEW YORK and TOKYO, March 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — Perception Neuroscience (Perception), an atai Life Sciences (atai) company focused on developing innovative therapies in neuropsychiatric disorders, and Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. (Otsuka), announce a collaboration and licensing agreement for the development and commercialization of Perception’s lead molecule, PCN-101 (R-ketamine) in Japan as a potential treatment for mood disorders such as major depressive disorder (MDD) and treatment-resistant depression (TRD). Outside of Japan, Perception is developing PCN-101 for the treatment of treatment-resistant depression.

Psychedelic drugs could effectively ‘reset’ human brain, researchers assume

The psychoactive drug DMT, or N, N-dimethyltryptamine, produces effects similar to those of psychedelics, like LSD and magic mushrooms, with its capability to cure disorders that are resistant to conventional medication understudied to date, scientists believe.

New hope! Ketamine Clinics of South Africa (KCSA) now open in La Lucia Ridge

The suicide rate in South Africa, already one of the highest in the world, has increased alarmingly since lockdowns began almost a year ago. Depression, anxiety, and other mood disorders are burgeoning during these uncertain times.

‘The ketamine blew my mind’: can psychedelics cure addiction and depression?

This week sees the opening of the first UK high-street clinic offering psychedelic-assisted therapy. Could popping psilocybin be the future of mental healthcare?

Psychedelic therapy could 'reset' depressed brain

A powerful hallucinogenic drug known for its part in shamanic rituals is being trialled as a potential cure for depression for the first time. Participants will be given the drug DMT, followed by talking therapy.

American Society of Ketamine Physicians, Psychotherapists and Practitioners Recommends the Ethical Prescription and Administration of Ketamine

The American Society of Ketamine Physicians, Psychotherapists and Practitioners (ASKP3) strongly endorses the proper evaluation, prescription, administration, and monitoring of ketamine for qualified individuals.

Breaking Through TRD With Psilocybin Therapy

Depression is a mental health diagnosis. As a clinical condition, depression can impact almost every aspect of daily life, from social engagement and personal relationships to self-care motivation. In severe cases of depression, even maintaining a job can be challenging.

The Next Covid Crisis Could Be a Wave of Suicides

Isolation and anxiety are a recipe for substance abuse and mental illness. A new study predicts 75,000 “deaths of despair.”

More Than Just a Trip:

Why Does Ketamine Work for Depression When Nothing Else Does?

Therapists Are Unprepared to Talk to People About Taking Psychedelics

The psychedelic revolution has arrived—yet psychologists still have major gaps in knowledge about going on a shrooms trip in the name of mental health.

Short Term Treatments for Depression:

Ketamine vs. ECT

Sublingual Ketamine:

An Option for Increasing Accessibility of Ketamine Treatments for Depression?

Anti-depressant spray not recommended on NHS

A fast acting ketamine-like anti-depressant spray that can lift mood within hours has been rejected by the NHS healthcare watchdog.

Ketamine Plus Motivational Enhancement Therapy:

Leveraging a Rapid Effect to Promote Enduring Change

The Complete Guide to Ketamine Therapy for Depression, From Someone Who’s Tried It

Ketamine is an anesthetic that’s used off-label for depression, but does it work?

Ketamine Could Be the Key to Reversing America’s Rising Suicide Rate

A version of the club drug is expected to be approved for depression in March. Researchers think it could help treat suicidal thinking.

CT Psychiatrist Shows Titrated IV Ketamine Can STOP Suicidality

Data Published from a Real World Psychiatry Practice Shows How Ketamine Infusions Can Avert ER Trips and Hospitalizations