Monitoring of Clinics That Use Direct-to-Consumer Advertising for Off-Label Ketamine in the New York Metropolitan Area: A Cross-Sectional Systematic Web Search.

In the New York metropolitan area, over a third of clinics advertising ketamine for psychiatric conditions offer it for at-home use, raising safety concerns. A 2025 systematic web search identified 233 clinics; 36.5% prescribed ketamine for at-home use, 51.5% listed a medical doctor, 42.9% advertised oral ketamine, and depression was the most common condition treated (94.0%). Clinics advertising oral ketamine were over four times more likely to offer at-home use, while those listing a medical doctor were about half as likely. The findings suggest a consumer-oriented advertising approach that may warrant monitoring and clearer guidance to mitigate safety risks.

Study at a glance

Abstract

Ketamine is increasingly prescribed in an off-label manner to treat psychiatric disorders, raising concerns about direct-to-consumer advertising and the proliferation of clinics offering ketamine for at-home use without direct medical supervision. We aimed to identify and characterize clinics advertising ketamine for psychiatric conditions online in the New York metropolitan area (New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut), with attention to advertising suggesting ketamine is prescribed for at-home use. In 2025, systematic web searches were conducted to identify clinics advertising prescription ketamine for psychiatric indications. Public-facing website content was reviewed to describe clinic characteristics: service delivery modality, clinician credentials, routes of administration, disorders treated, and advertising practices. A generalized linear model was used to delineate correlates of clinics advertising ketamine for at-home use. 233 clinics were located; 36.5% prescribed ketamine for at-home use. 51.5% listed a medical doctor as part of their team and 42.9% advertised oral ketamine. Depression was the most commonly listed disorder treated (94.0%) and 21.9% advertised ketamine to treat substance use disorder. In the multivariable model, advertising ketamine for at-home use was more common among clinics advertising oral ketamine (aPR = 4.10, 95% CI: 2.20-7.60) and less common among clinics listing a medical doctor (aPR = 0.54, 95% CI: 0.30-0.99). Over a third of clinics advertised ketamine for at-home use. A limitation is that we only focused on public-facing websites. Advertising practices and clinician representation suggest clinics may be advertising in a more consumer-oriented manner, underscoring the need for monitoring and clearer guidance to mitigate potential safety risks.