Healthcare

FDA Approves Ketamine-Like Nasal Spray To Treat Suicidal Adults

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The FDA approved a drug Monday to treat adults experiencing suicidal thoughts: esketamine, a more potent version of ketamine.

Esketamine, manufactured as Spravato CII by Johnson & Johnson, is a fast-acting cousin of ketamine that is administered as a nasal spray, according to Business Insider Australia. Due to the potential for abuse and possible negative side effects, the drug will only be allowed in clinical settings, according to the FDA.

Spravato seems to fill a role that has not yet been filled in psychiatric medicine. Many psychiatrists agree that healthcare providers need quicker-acting antidepressants that work for more people, Johns Hopkins Medicine reported. Similar to how Narcan is used in last-ditch scenarios to help people at risk of overdosing, Spravato can be used to help people who are at risk for taking their own life.

The drug is not without its downsides however, with side effects such as producing out of body experiences. Also worthy of note is that the drug was not found to significantly decrease risk of suicide as compared to a placebo, according to the U.S. National Library of Medicine.

Despite this, it was still approved by the FDA to expand clinicians’ options in urgent situations, saying the benefits are greater than the risks, according to Business Insider Australia.

Psychiatric Times notes that regular cognitive function usually returns 60 to 90 minutes after administration of the drug.

According to the FDA, esketamine will be used alongside an oral antidepressant.