ACCP Releases Policy Statements

ASHBURN,Va., /PRNewswire/ -- Two policy statements from the American College of Clinical Pharmacology^® (ACCP) have recently been published on the topic of ketamine use in off-label or non-medical settings. Ketamine is a dissociative anesthetic agent that is FDA-approved for use by or under the direction of physicians experienced in the administration of general anesthetics.

"Off–Label Use of Ketamine: A Challenging Drug Treatment Delivery Model with an Inherently Unfavorable Risk–Benefit Profile" draws the attention of the public, State-elected officials and the FDA to the administration of ketamine for off-label medical usage. It urges this same audience to require the following to support safer use of off-label ketamine: data generated from well-controlled clinical trials; guideline on personnel training, dosage, and safety monitoring; mandatory data reporting; patient disclosure of risks; and the involvement of the patients' primary care provider in the overall treatment.

"Pharmacological Arguments Against the Use of Ketamine in Non-Medical Settings" provides a rationale for opposing the non-medical use of ketamine in individuals who do not have a justifiable medical reason to warrant its administration, such as in a law enforcement setting. This is based on a summary of key pharmacological properties, including its complex dosing, powerful pharmacodynamic effects, and potential for serious harm or even fatality when used incorrectly. Incorrect use may include situations in the field where appropriate monitoring and emergency airway equipment are not readily available, or when precise body weight, current medications, or medical history are unknown. Based on these arguments, ACCP joins other professional and medical organizations in strongly opposing the non-medical use of ketamine for law enforcement purposes in individuals without justifiable medical reasons for its administration.

The statements were published concurrently in order to bring awareness regarding both of these potentially dangerous uses of ketamine outside of the intended, approved therapeutic use of the powerful anesthetic.