The FDA approved what is considered to be the first fast-acting depression drug available on the market.
Spravato is a ketamine nasal spray drug that can potentially treat patients considered treatment-resistant, having tried two or more other depression drugs without success. Unlike other depression medication, this nasal spray can work within a couple days, or even within hours, of administration.
According to Spavarto’s webpage, the exact way this rapid-action drug works is still unknown. This is a concern for some specialists who worry that this drug can potentially be abused by patients.
Yale researcher and clinical neuropsychiatrist David Matuskey studies the effects of different drugs in the brain, including ketamine.