Suicidal adults can use nasal spray to help ease symptoms within 24 hours, FDA says

[demmiblue]

Source: The Sacramento Bee

Health officials in the U.S. approved a nasal spray designed for adults suffering from suicidal thoughts or behavior — the “first and only” antidepressant medicine shown to help people feel relief with one dose. Some patients improved in as little as four hours.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration said the spray should be used in conjunction with oral antidepressants and therapy visits with a healthcare professional, according to Janssen Pharmaceutica, the Belgium-based company behind the medication.

Most importantly, its makers say the nasal spray, coined SPRAVATO, provides a new option of “significant symptom relief” for suicidal adults while other longer-term treatments take effect.

“Many people who live with depression know all too well the feeling of desperation. If that major depression progresses to active suicidal thoughts, it’s crushing, and they need options to help change the trajectory of their acute depressive episode,” Theresa Nguyen, chief program officer of Mental Health America, a non-profit organization based in Virginia, said in a news release.

Read more: https://www.sacbee.com/news/nation-world/national/article244741452.html

[rickyhall]

1. We already have this. It's called Cannibis. Works for me.

[Blecht]

3. Ditto

[Coventina]

6. Some people are "immune" to the effects of cannibis.

Sadly, I'm one of those people.

Although, I'm hoping my suicidal depression will ease after Nov. 4th.....

[Soxfan58]

13. I hope so!

We have a lot of celebrating to do.

[maxsolomon]

7. Yeah, that's funny.

Many people self-medicate this condition with a firearm. Even as a placebo, this is infinitely superior.

[SergeStorms]

10. In nasal spray form?

Man, I gotta' get me some of that!

[generalbetrayus]

14. Some people can't use cannabis because of on-the-job drug testing.

[IronLionZion]

2. Depression is undoubtedly worse during this pandemic

as anxiety and job losses take their toll on people

[Texin]

4. I could use some of that. Some days it's difficult to stay off that ledge.

[Sgent]

5. I'm surprised

that the DEA went for it. This drug is an isomer of Ketamine and the FDA prior approval required it to be administered in a doctors office. Most psychiatrists aren't staffed / prepared to administer it, and most other docs wouldn't want to because they aren't psychiatrists.

If a psychiatrist wanted to add it to his practice regularly then it would be much cheaper to give actual ketamine via IM or IV, but he would need nursing staff to assist.

[ToxMarz]

11. Yep, sounds like a potential new party drug.

The potential for abuse seems high (no pun intended ) to me

Among side effects:

...dissociation, dizziness, sedation and feeling drunk...

[Backseat Driver]

8. FYI - Where there's a Will there's a Way?

Rational decision-making in the moment by those so afflicted???

https://www.spravato.com/

https://www.peoplespharmacy.com/articles/high-cost-of-spravato-esketamine-for-depression


First we're encouraged to carry around a preventive for "death by opioids", because you know that street drug was taken so inadvertently; now this? Will it be standard issue for the EMT squads?

If you read the info at the site, it can also result in more aggressive behavior in those already irrational strung-out outpatients and much more.

Is this just another way for the FDA to get a kissin' cousin of ketamine on the street? You know, better living via kitchen sink chemists pissed they don't have jobs and high student loans? Or moonlighters with a "12-Monkey"grudge or pharmaceutical CEO yacht/lamborgini-envy opportunity of a lifetime?

I mean, how did so much carfentanil get on the street? Can any advanced chemist eke it out of other opoids in a home lab? It supposedly has a restricted distribution only to animal vets?

[w0nderer]

9. K & R N/T

[gristy]

12. As others replying to this thread are saying, off-label use and abuse is a concern... n/t