Psychiatric and legal considerations for ketamine treatment within prison settings.
Frontiers in psychiatry January 1, 2024 Michael Bayrhammer-Savel, Martin Ortner, Marie-Claire Van Hout et al. 6 citations
People in prison have a fundamental right to health care that matches community standards, which includes access to effective medications for mental health conditions. Standard antidepressants often fail for those with depression and high suicide risk, a common problem in prisons. This article argues that denying effective treatment, such as ketamine therapy, may violate human rights under international law and UN standards. The authors discuss the psychiatric and legal arguments for and against using ketamine in prisons, noting potential benefits for severe depression and suicidality but also risks like unknown long-term effects and abuse. They conclude that more research is urgently needed given the lack of data on ketamine's use in prison populations.