A Brief History of Ketamine and Depression Research

Important: Compounded ketamine is not FDA-approved. FDA has not evaluated its safety, effectiveness, or quality before marketing. Ketamine injection is approved for anesthesia, not psychiatric conditions. Compounded ketamine nasal spray is different from FDA-approved Spravato (esketamine), and research on other formulations or treatment settings does not establish its benefits.

Ketamine’s history helps explain why the same name appears in operating rooms, research papers, and mental health advertising. Each stage involved a particular formulation and purpose. A long medical history does not establish that every newer use is safe or effective.

1970: approval for anesthesia

Ketamine received its initial U.S. approval in 1970. The Ketalar prescribing information describes injectable ketamine for anesthesia. Anesthesia use involves clinical supervision and specific precautions; it does not confer approval on treatment for depression or on a compounded nasal product.

2006: an influential depression study

In a small placebo-controlled study published in 2006, researchers investigated intravenous ketamine in adults with treatment-resistant depression. The short-term findings helped motivate further research. They did not settle questions about long-term treatment or medication taken at home.

2019 and beyond: a separate esketamine product

Spravato, an esketamine nasal spray, first received FDA approval in 2019. Its approved uses and safety requirements are product-specific. The current prescribing information describes its indications and required monitoring in certified healthcare settings. A compounded ketamine spray is not an FDA-approved generic version of Spravato.

What this history means for patients

Avoid treating the story as a straight line from anesthesia to a proven home treatment. Scientific progress includes promising results, unanswered questions, and limits that matter when a treatment reaches a different population or setting.

When reading an older article, check its publication date and original source. Ask whether it discusses ketamine or esketamine, human treatment or animal research, an injection or a nasal spray, and an approved product or a compounded preparation. Those distinctions are more useful than dramatic descriptions of a breakthrough.

A clinician can put this background into the context of your diagnosis, prior care, and available alternatives. History provides context for that conversation; it cannot determine personal eligibility.

Safety and the treatment setting

Ketamine can cause sedation, dissociation, impaired thinking or coordination, nausea, increased blood pressure or heart rate, and slowed breathing. Abuse or misuse, worsening psychiatric symptoms, and urinary or bladder problems are also concerns. This is not a complete list of risks.

At home, a healthcare professional is not onsite to monitor you or respond immediately to an adverse reaction. Telehealth support does not provide the same monitoring as an onsite care team. Review these FDA ketamine risk alerts and discuss your health history, other medications, monitoring needs, and emergency plan with your clinician.

Discuss your options

Bliss Mist Rx LLC provides telehealth services; we do not manufacture or compound medication. If a clinician prescribes treatment, an independent, appropriately licensed compounding pharmacy dispenses it. A consultation does not guarantee a prescription or a particular outcome. Book a Free Virtual Appointment or Follow-Up to discuss questions about your care.

This article is general education and does not replace individualized medical advice.