"Exploring the Potential of Ketamine as a Revolutionary Pain Treatment"

Ketamine, a decades-old surgical drug now used as a psychedelic therapy, is increasingly being prescribed for hard-to-treat pain, depression, anxiety, and other conditions. However, there is limited research on its effectiveness against pain, and experts are concerned about the potential for overprescribing a drug with significant safety and abuse risks. Patients receiving ketamine have reported side effects such as hallucinations and visual disturbances, and it has not been shown to reduce opioid prescribing. The booming ketamine industry, fueled by venture capital investors, for-profit clinics, and telehealth services, operates in a regulatory "wild west" with little oversight.