A Systematic Review of Methodological Approaches in Indian Studies Evaluating Effectiveness of Ketamine Therapy for Psychiatric Disorders: Recommendations for Future Research
Annals of Indian Psychiatry August 22, 2025 Swarndeep Singh, Saurabh Kumar, Shaily Mina et al.
A systematic review of Indian studies on ketamine for psychiatric disorders found that while interest is growing, most of the 13 included studies have significant methodological weaknesses. The studies were mostly single-center prospective trials with small sample sizes (median 25 participants). Only five reported randomization, two blinded outcome assessors, and none used a double-blind design. Adverse effects were typically assessed through unstructured observation or self-report rather than systematic tools. The review recommends that future research adopt rigorous designs including proper randomization, control groups, blinding, structured safety monitoring, and adequate sample sizes to improve reliability and generalizability.