Startups are prescribing ketamine for depression, and there’s no supervision

Online health startups are prescribing ketamine to patients at home suffering from severe depression, post-traumatic stress disorder and anxiety, raising safety concerns about using a mind-altering anesthetic with no supervision.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) authorized the use of ketamine decades ago in hospitals to anesthetize humans and animals.

Is this worrisome?
“Yes,'' say many psychiatrists since ketamine can be addictive. If improperly administered, it can result in serious complications like stroke, heart attack, and substance abuse.

Federal law requires an in-person exam before prescribing ketamine online, but the COVID-19 emergency relaxed this law, and many health startups are using it to their benefit.