Esketamine is a form of ketamine, a drug used for anaesthesia. Research on esketamine showed that it affects difficult-to-treat or therapy-resistant depression. The form of administration has been converted to a nasal spray, so it cannot be administered only by infusion. It works differently from common antidepressants and often patients notice effects within a few weeks.
This relatively new, innovative psychopharmacon - the drug has been registered since 2021 - can only be used in a hospital and under the supervision of a healthcare professional. Psychiatrist Eric Ruhe: 'This is due to the risk of abuse and addiction, esketamine is also used in the party scene. Besides, this is the first expensive drug in psychiatry, so insurers can designate treatment centres for this treatment through their contracting. Radboudumc is one of 20 centres in the Netherlands that offers this treatment. We are also coordinator of a national consortium that is further investigating treatment with esketamine.'
