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# Study Backs Ketamine as Antidepressant
- URL: https://www.fdaweb.com/study-backs-ketamine-as-antidepressant/
- Published: 2017-05-10T12:00:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-09-14T22:22:48.000Z
- Author: David McFarland
- Tags: Drugs, #legacy-id-D5138656

A large-scale population analysis by Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences at University of California San Diego has supported anecdotal reports of the effectiveness of ketamine as an antidepressant. The study was [published](https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-017-01590-x?ref=fdaweb.com) in *Scientific Reports*.

By analyzing the FDA Adverse Effect Reporting System database for depression symptoms in patients taking ketamine as an anesthetic, the researchers found that depression was reported half as often among the more than 41,000 patients who took the drug, compared to patients who took any other drug or drug combination for pain.

The researchers also found antidepressant effects for three other drugs typically used for other purposes—Botox, diclofenac, and minocycline. “Current FDA-approved treatments for depression fail for millions of people because they don’t work or don’t work fast enough,” [says](http://ucsdnews.ucsd.edu/pressrelease/first%5Flarge%5Fscale%5Fpopulation%5Fanalysis%5Freinforces%5Fketamines%5Freputation%5Fas%5Fan?ref=fdaweb.com) study senior author and professor of pharmacy **Ruben Abagyan**. “This study extends small-scale clinical evidence that ketamine can be used to alleviate depression, and provides needed solid statistical support for wider clinical applications and possible larger scale clinical trials.”