Multidisciplinary development of guidelines for ketamine treatment for treatment-resistant major depression disorder for use by adult specialist mental health services in New Zealand

Background: The evidence base for racemic ketamine treatment for treatment-resistant major depressive disorder (TRD) continues to expand, but there are major challenges translating this evidence base into routine clinical care.

Aim: To prepare guidelines for ketamine treatment of TRD that are suitable for routine use by publicly funded specialist mental health services.

Method: We consulted with senior leadership, clinical pharmacy, psychiatrists, nursing, service users and Māori mental health workers on issues relating to ketamine treatment. We prepared treatment guidelines taking the evidence base for ketamine treatment and the consultation into account.

Results: Ketamine treatment guidance is reported. This offers two treatment pathways, including a test of ketamine responsiveness with intramuscular ketamine and the dominant use of oral ketamine for a 3-month course to maximise the opportunity for the short-term benefits of ketamine to accumulate.

Conclusions: We have responded to the challenges of translating the evidence base for ketamine treatment into a form suitable for routine care.