The Australian and New Zealand journal of psychiatry
April 28, 2025
Salam Hussain, Chris Gale, Shanthi Sarma et al.
10 citations
The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists has developed professional practice guidelines for using ketamine in psychiatric care in Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand. Based on scientific evidence and expert clinical consensus, the guidelines aim to help psychiatrists and clinicians deliver best practice and optimize patient outcomes. They balance promoting evidence-based practice with recognizing that evidence for ketamine use is still evolving.
The Australian and New Zealand journal of psychiatry
October 1, 2024
Alistair Carroll, Adam Bayes, Mark Montebello et al.
10 citations
Ketamine is a restricted medication in Australia and New Zealand, with regulations that vary by jurisdiction and generally limit its use in patients who have a history of drug dependence. There is substantial variation in how drug dependence is defined legally and clinically, with clinical definitions from the ICD-11 and DSM-5. This paper reviews evidence on the risk of ketamine misuse and dependence among patients with a history of illicit drug use, abuse, or dependence, and offers recommendations for psychiatrists prescribing ketamine for treatment-resistant depression in this population.
Psychiatry research
February 1, 2025
Adam Bayes, Thanh Vinh Cao, Ana Rita Barreiros et al.
6 citations
Ketamine and its derivatives are increasingly used for treatment-resistant depression, but they can cause side effects during and between treatment sessions. The Ketamine Side Effect Tool (KSET) was designed to monitor these effects, but its length limited its use in clinics. Using retrospective data from three outpatient services, researchers calculated how often side effects occurred within sessions, between sessions, and at follow-up. They then developed a shorter version, the KSET-Revised (KSET-R), which showed good construct and concurrent validity for specific items and an overall tolerability rating. The revised tool is more feasible for clinical practice and is recommended for monitoring side effects in patients receiving ketamine treatment.
The British Journal of Psychiatry
July 6, 2026
Nick Glozier, Richard W. Morris, Elizabeth Stratton et al.
A 4-week course of subcutaneous racemic ketamine produced short-term clinical benefit in a minority of people with treatment-resistant depression, with response rates declining substantially after treatment cessation. Among 130 participants, 30% responded at treatment end (Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale reduction ≥50%), but only 17% remained responders 4 weeks later, and over 50% experienced less than a 25% reduction in depression scores. No difference in response was found between fixed and flexible dosing regimens. Prior ketamine treatment during an earlier randomized trial did not affect later outcomes. No suicides or suicidal behavior requiring admission occurred, and only expected side effects were observed.
Australasian psychiatry : bulletin of Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists
June 26, 2025
Adam Bayes
Australia has rescheduled psilocybin and MDMA as clinical therapies for treatment-resistant depression and post-traumatic stress disorder, despite limited evidence. A clinical-academic psychiatrist involved in psychedelic trial work identified eight domains needing further research: efficacy, safety including combining with psychotropics, psychotherapy models, psychological support, therapeutic touch, set/setting, and examination of naturalistic data. The clinical availability of psychedelic-assisted therapy gives greater impetus for careful research studies to inform treatment and improve patient outcomes.