NEWS BRIEFING: Aussie trial shows low cost ketamine works for severe depression

Embargoed until: Publicly released: 2023-07-14 12:00

Australia; New Zealand; NSW; VIC; QLD; SA; WA; ACT

*BRIEFING RECORDING NOW AVAILABLE* An Australian and NZ clinical trial has found that a low-cost version of ketamine is effective for treating severe depression when compared to a placebo. The research found that more than one in five people achieved total remission from their symptoms after a month of twice-weekly injections, while a third had their symptoms improve by at least 50%. Ketamine is commonly used as an anesthetic for both humans and animals, and it also has a reputation as a 'party drug', but recent research has suggested it may be an effective way to help people with hard-to-treat depression. The study was a collaboration between six academic clinical mood disorder units in Australia and one in New Zealand and was funded by the Australian National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC). Join the media briefing to hear from the experts involved in the trial.

Media release

From: Australian Science Media Centre

An Australian and NZ clinical trial has found that a low-cost version of ketamine is effective for treating severe depression when compared to a placebo. The research found that more than one in five people achieved total remission from their symptoms after a month of twice-weekly injections, while a third had their symptoms improve by at least 50 per cent.

Ketamine is commonly used as an anesthetic for both humans and animals, and it also has a reputation as a 'party drug', but recent research has suggested it may be an effective way to help people with hard to treat depression.

The study was a collaboration between six academic clinical mood disorder units in Australia and one in New Zealand and was funded by the Australian National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC).

Join the media briefing to hear from the experts involved in the trial.

Speakers:

Professor Colleen Loo - Professor, Psychiatry, UNSW Medicine, and the Black Dog Institute, Professorial Fellow, The George Institute, Australia
Professor Paul Glue - Professor of Psychological Medicine, University of Otago, NZ
Professor Anthony Rodgers - Public Health and Clinical Trial expert at The George Institute, Australia

Potential case studies are also available via UNSW media contact Lachlan Gilber t.

Attachments

Note: Not all attachments are visible to the general public. Research URLs will go live after the embargo ends.

Journal/
conference: The British Journal of Psychiatry

Research:Paper

Organisation/s: The University of New South Wales, Black Dog Institute, The University of Sydney, The University of Melbourne, The University of Adelaide, Australian National University, University of Otago, Bond University, George Institute for Global Health, Deakin University, University of Newcastle, University of Western Australia, Monash University, Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Children and Families over the Life Course, Westmead Institute of Medical Research,

Funder: The study was funded by a competitive research grant from the Australian National Health and Medical Research Council (APP1105089).

Media Contact/s

Contact details are only visible to registered journalists.