Esketamine is a prescription nasal spray approved for use in conjunction with an oral antidepressant in adults with treatment-resistant depression (TRD). People who are currently struggling with major depressive disorder (MDD) may have TRD if they have not responded adequately to or have experienced side effects with at least two different antidepressants of adequate dose and duration.
Esketamine can only be administered in a certified treatment clinic that has medical staff trained to prescribe and dispense esketamine and is Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategy (REMS) certified. A healthcare provider will provide direct supervision as the patient self-administers the nasal spray and will monitor patients after every dose for at least two hours. This medication must never be dispensed directly to a patient for home use.
Patients should plan to arrange for post-treatment transportation home. Additionally, patients should not drive or operate machinery until the day after a treatment session. A typical course of treatment consists of twelve sessions and maintenance sessions to be determined by physician.
Because esketamine is a controlled substance, it is only available through a restricted program in REMS certified clinics and can only be administered at such healthcare settings. We offer esketamine nasal spray treatment for depression (and other mental health conditions) at many of our mental health clinics in the United States.