A radical ketamine-like drug has been licensed for use in the UK for severe depression, a decision that offers hope to the millions of patients for whom conventional treatments have failed. The European commission announced its decision on Thursday to approve the drug, which Janssen sells in the US under the brand name Spravato. The drug is thought to work on a different brain pathway from that used by the most commonly used antidepressant drugs, known as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). Risks listed on licensing documents include the potential for drug abuse, transient perception disorders, disturbances in consciousness, cystitis and increases in blood pressure. The licence states that the drug must be given under the supervision of a medical professional.

Source: The Guardian December 19, 2019 18:02 UTC