‘Wild West’ of ketamine use for pain and depression sparks expert fears after patients report ‘horrific experiences’
THE number of ketamine prescriptions across the US is said to be rising, sparking fears among medical experts.
Patients have reported horrific experiences after receiving the drug, used commonly to treat pain and depression.
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Ketamine is used to treat pain and depressionCredit: Getty
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Ketamine prescriptions have rocketed in recent yearsCredit: Getty
Ketamine is a cheap drug and is administered by doctors and nurses regardless of their level of training.
A study conducted by experts at Duke University revealed that more than a third of the 300 patients analyzed suffered hallucinations and disturbances.
Daniel Bass told how he was given the drug to stem the pain as he suffers from a rare bone disorder.
He told the Associated Press: “No matter how horrific an experience is, if it allows me to be more functional, I will do it.”
But, he claimed that the infusions made him feel like a lab rat.
David Mahjoubi, the owner of the Ketamine Healing Clinic in Los Angeles, said: “We want patients to dissociate from their pain, depression, or anxiety.”
Prescriptions have rocketed by more than 500% since 2017 because of the demand for ketamine.
The drug has been sent in the mail and online prescribing rules were loosened during the Covid pandemic.
Doctors fork out $100 for a small container of the drug and charge between $500 and $1,500 for every infusion.
Yale University psychiatrist Samuel Wilkinson branded the current situation a “wild west.”
In 2019, officials at the US Food and Drug Administration approved the drug esketamine, a substance that has been dubbed ketamine’s cousin, as a treatment for depression.
It is being sold as the nasal spray Spravato.
Researchers have warned about the surge in illegal ketamine that has been seized recently.
A study revealed that more than 1,500 pounds of ketamine were seized by cops in 2022.
The figure was around 12 times more than the number seized in 2017.
It sparked fears among researchers that ketamine could be contaminated with drugs such as fentanyl.
Joseph Palamar, a researcher at the Center for Drug Use and HIV/HCV Research at NYU School of Global Public Health, warned: “This dramatic rise in ketamine seizures by law enforcement may be indicative of rising nonmedical and recreational use.
“Unlike the illegal ketamine years ago, most illegally obtained ketamine today is not pharmaceutical grade and is sold in powder form, which may increase the risk that it contains other drugs, such as fentanyl.”
The study found that the most seizures occurred in Tennessee, Florida, and California.
Ketamine has been a popular drug among teens and young adults in nightclubs.
Officials at the Drug Enforcement Administration have warned that common side effects include hallucinations and nausea.
Users can suffer an increase in heart rate and blood pressure that decreases 10 to 20 minutes after taking the drug.
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