Economic evaluation of subcutaneous ketamine injections for treatment resistant depression: A randomised, double-blind, active-controlled trial - The KADS study.
Journal of affective disorders October 15, 2025 Mary Lou Chatterton, Johana Kevin Perez, Thao Thai et al. 2 citations
Subcutaneous ketamine appears cost-effective for treatment-resistant depression from a health sector perspective when the costs of the control treatment (midazolam) are included, but not from a societal perspective. A cost-utility analysis alongside a randomized controlled trial with 174 participants compared ketamine to midazolam given twice weekly for four weeks. At the end of the trial, quality of life scores were significantly higher for ketamine. When control arm costs were included, ketamine was less costly and more effective, with an 89% probability of being cost-effective at a $50,000 per quality-adjusted life year threshold. Excluding those costs made ketamine not cost-effective, highlighting the importance of comparator choice.