Defining the Future of IV Ketamine Care: New National Consensus Guidelines Published

At Ember Health, our mission is to define and expand access to the gold standard of IV ketamine care for depression. That mission extends beyond the walls of our clinics. It includes contributing to the research, dialogue, and clinical frameworks that help ensure ketamine treatment is delivered safely, thoughtfully, and consistently for the people who depend on it.

We are proud to share that the Journal of Affective Disorders has published new interdisciplinary consensus guidelines for intravenous (IV) ketamine treatment in depressive disorders.

[[Read the Guidelines]]

Ember Co-Founder and Medical Director, Dr. Nico Grundmann, helped author the paper, and served on the expert panel alongside experts from institutions including Baylor College of Medicine, the University of Oxford, UC San Diego, and leading ketamine practices across North America and Europe.

The panel achieved consensus on 73 of 75 recommendations, reflecting an extraordinary level of agreement across disciplines and geographies about what constitutes safe, effective, and responsible IV ketamine treatment for depressive disorders.

For patients, clinical guidelines may seem like something happening behind the scenes, but they play a critical role in shaping care. They establish best practices, support consistency across treatment settings, guide clinician decision-making, and provide a framework for evaluating safety and outcomes. As ketamine treatment continues to evolve, thoughtful standards become increasingly important for maintaining quality of care, and for building trust among patients, providers, researchers, and policymakers.

While the full publication includes 73 consensus recommendations, several themes emerged with particularly strong agreement among experts, which we’ve summarized below:

1. Existing data supports IV ketamine for clinical depression.‍

The panel concluded that the antidepressant effects of IV ketamine for depressive disorders are well established and supported by a substantial body of research.

2. All treatments should be monitored and delivered by medical professionals experienced in medical and psychological safety support.

‍Experts agreed that ketamine treatment should be overseen by licensed clinicians with expertise in depression assessment, diagnosis, and safety monitoring.

3. Dosing should be kept within well-defined and studied ranges.‍

The guidelines support standardized induction treatment and recommend caution when moving beyond well-studied dosing ranges.

4. All care should be coordinated within a larger psychiatric care team.‍

The panel emphasized coordination with a patient's broader mental health treatment team and the importance of integrating ketamine treatment into a comprehensive care plan.

At Ember, we have long believed that setting the gold standard for IV ketamine care involves a multi-pronged approach:

• Evidence-based personal care while contributing to the field with our work
• Patient-centered experience where we listen to our patients and use their feedback to help us achieve the best clinical outcomes
• Partner-oriented team approach supporting a robust network of providers with which to coordinate care

We are honored that Dr. Grundmann could contribute to this important effort, and are grateful to the many clinicians, researchers, and organizations working to strengthen the field alongside us.

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