Ketamine for Suicide Attempts

Recruiting at 1 trial location

Overseen By Christina Deisz, LISW-S

Age: < 65

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Phase 3

Sponsor: Tatiana Falcone, MD

Must not be taking: Phencyclidine, Cocaine, Amphetamines

Disqualifiers: Autism, Schizophrenia, Substance use, others

Pivotal Trial (Near Approval) This treatment is in the last trial phase before FDA approval

Prior Safety Data This treatment has passed at least one previous human trial

Approved in 3 Jurisdictions This treatment is already approved in other countries

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: 6

Duration: 2 weeks

60 Participants Needed

What You Need to Know Before You Apply

What is the purpose of this trial?

This trial explores whether ketamine, a medication, can quickly reduce suicidal thoughts in young people who have recently attempted suicide. Participants will receive either ketamine or a placebo (a harmless substitute) while staying in the hospital, along with therapy sessions to manage suicidal feelings. The goal is to determine if ketamine is safe and effective in reducing suicidal risks. Individuals admitted to specified hospitals after a suicide attempt and who continue to struggle with suicidal thoughts might be good candidates. As a Phase 3 trial, this study represents the final step before FDA approval, offering participants a chance to contribute to potentially groundbreaking treatment advancements.

Will I have to stop taking my current medications?

The trial protocol does not specify if you need to stop taking your current medications. However, if you are taking drugs that significantly interact with ketamine, you may not be eligible to participate.

Is there any evidence suggesting that this trial's treatments are likely to be safe?

Research has shown that ketamine can quickly reduce suicidal thoughts. In one study, participants with these thoughts experienced a significant decrease in symptoms after receiving a ketamine infusion. Another study found that ketamine reduced suicidal thoughts faster than other treatments.

Regarding safety, ketamine has been tested in various settings. It is generally well-tolerated, though some people might experience side effects, such as feeling strange or disconnected from reality during or shortly after the infusion. Most of these effects are temporary and resolve on their own.

Since the current trial is in a later phase, evidence already exists about its safety. This phase focuses on confirming its effectiveness and monitoring for any side effects in a larger group. If ketamine were not safe enough for this group, it would not have reached this stage. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

Why do researchers think this study treatment might be promising for suicide attempts?

Unlike the standard treatments for preventing suicide attempts, which often include antidepressants and therapy, Ketamine Hydrochloride acts on the brain differently. Most traditional treatments take weeks to show results, but ketamine, which is typically used as an anesthetic, has the potential to provide rapid relief in just hours or days. This is because it targets the NMDA receptors in the brain, which are associated with mood regulation, offering a novel mechanism of action. Researchers are excited about ketamine because it could be a game-changer for people in urgent need of help, providing a fast-acting treatment option that current therapies can't match.

What evidence suggests that ketamine might be an effective treatment for suicide attempts?

Research has shown that ketamine can quickly reduce suicidal thoughts. In studies, individuals with treatment-resistant depression experienced a clear and lasting decrease in suicidal thoughts after taking ketamine. One study found that ketamine reduced the number of suicide attempts and deaths compared to those who did not use it. Another study highlighted ketamine's long-term benefits in reducing suicidal thoughts in people with major depression. In this trial, participants will receive either Ketamine Treatment combined with CAMS Therapy or a Saline Placebo Treatment combined with CAMS Therapy. These findings suggest that ketamine could effectively reduce suicidal thoughts and behaviors. ^{6 7 8 9 10}

Who Is on the Research Team?

Tatiana Falcone, M.D.

Principal Investigator

The Cleveland Clinic

Amit Anand, M.D.

Principal Investigator

Massachusetts General Hospital

Are You a Good Fit for This Trial?

This trial is for young individuals aged 14-30 who have attempted suicide and are currently experiencing suicidal thoughts. They must understand the study and agree to participate. Exclusions include those with certain mental health conditions, intellectual disabilities, recent drug abuse, or specific medical contraindications.

Inclusion Criteria

I am between 14 and 30 years old.

Subjects must have the ability to understand and the willingness to sign a written informed consent document.

Subjects must have been admitted to Fairview Hospital or Massachusetts General Hospital (Blake 11) after a suicide attempt (any intentional, non-fatal self- injury regardless of medical lethality, if intent to die was indicated) with continued suicidal ideation or endorsing ongoing suicidal ideation and unable to contract for safety placing them at an increased risk to attempt suicide. Subjects will need a clinical rated Scale for Suicidal Ideation (SSI) score ≥ 6.

Exclusion Criteria

Subjects with history of moderate or severe substance or alcohol use per DSM- V criteria in the past 6 months.

You have been diagnosed with autism or are unable to speak.

Within 6 months before initial screening, urine toxicology positive for phencyclidine, cocaine or amphetamines (subjects prescribed amphetamines for management of ADHD will not be excluded).

Timeline for a Trial Participant

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

1-2 weeks

Treatment

Participants receive up to 6 ketamine or placebo infusions over two weeks while admitted in the Inpatient Psychiatry Service

2 weeks

Up to 6 visits (inpatient)

Collaborative Assessment for the Management of Suicidality (CAMS)

Weekly CAMS sessions are conducted during inpatient stay and continue post-discharge until criteria for reduced suicidal ideation are met

Up to 3 months post-discharge

Weekly sessions

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for safety and effectiveness after treatment, with monthly assessments for suicidal ideation, attempts, and readmissions

3 months

Monthly assessments

What Are the Treatments Tested in This Trial?

Interventions

• CAMS Therapy
• Ketamine Hydrochloride

Trial Overview The trial tests Ketamine's ability to reduce suicidal thoughts in youth after a suicide attempt. Participants will receive either Ketamine or saline while hospitalized and undergo CAMS Therapy weekly during and after hospitalization until they show significant improvement in their condition.

How Is the Trial Designed?

Group I: Ketamine Treatment + CAMS Therapy Experimental Treatment 2 Interventions

Group II: Saline Placebo Treatment + CAMS Therapy Placebo Group 2 Interventions

Ketamine Hydrochloride is already approved in United States, European Union, Canada for the following indications:

Approved in United States as Ketalar for:

• Anesthesia
• Pain management
• Depression
• Suicidal ideation

Approved in European Union as Ketamine Hydrochloride for:

• Anesthesia
• Pain management
• Treatment-resistant depression

Approved in Canada as Ketamine Hydrochloride for:

• Anesthesia
• Pain management
• Depression

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

Tatiana Falcone, MD

Lead Sponsor

Trials

1

Recruited

140+

National Institutes of Health (NIH)

Collaborator

Trials

2,896

Recruited

8,053,000+

National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)

Collaborator

Trials

3,007

Recruited

2,852,000+

Massachusetts General Hospital

Collaborator

Trials

3,066

Recruited

13,430,000+

Published Research Related to This Trial

In a study involving 16 recent suicide attempters, a single intravenous dose of ketamine (0.5 mg/kg) led to rapid and significant reductions in suicidal thoughts within 24 hours, with effects lasting up to 6 months post-infusion.

The results indicate that ketamine is a safe and effective treatment for reducing suicidality in high-risk patients, suggesting it could be integrated into existing healthcare settings for those in acute psychiatric care.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

A Pilot Study of Ketamine Infusion after Suicide Attempt: New Frontiers in Treating Acute Suicidality in a Real-World Medical Setting. Shivanekar, S., Gopalan, P., Pizon, A., et al.[2023]

A single dose of ketamine can significantly reduce suicidal thoughts within an hour of administration, with effects lasting up to a week, making it a promising option for patients with severe or treatment-resistant depression.

The antisuicidal effects of ketamine occur independently of its impact on overall depression severity, indicating a unique mechanism of action that warrants further investigation for crisis intervention in suicidal patients.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Ketamine for Depression, 6: Effects on Suicidal Ideation and Possible Use as Crisis Intervention in Patients at Suicide Risk. Andrade, C.[2022]

In a study of 295 outpatients receiving intravenous ketamine treatment for suicidality, three distinct groups emerged based on their response to treatment, with 57.6% showing gradual improvement in suicidal symptoms over five infusions.

Among patients with severe suicidal thoughts at baseline, those with higher scores for active thoughts of death were less likely to benefit from ketamine treatment, highlighting the need for careful patient selection in this therapy.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Anti-suicidal effects of IV ketamine in a real-world setting. O'Brien, B., Lee, J., Kim, S., et al.[2023]

Ketamine hydrochloride has shown rapid and significant antidepressant effects in patients with treatment-resistant mood and anxiety disorders, although the studies supporting this have small sample sizes and limited long-term data.

While ketamine may offer benefits for some patients, there are important safety concerns and limitations in the existing research that must be considered when using it as an off-label treatment for psychiatric disorders.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

A Consensus Statement on the Use of Ketamine in the Treatment of Mood Disorders. Sanacora, G., Frye, MA., McDonald, W., et al.[2022]

Ketamine shows promise as a treatment for treatment-resistant depression (TRD), but its use can lead to common adverse events, which are usually temporary.

A case of apnea during a slow sub-anesthetic infusion of ketamine highlights a rare but serious potential side effect, emphasizing the need for careful monitoring and management during treatment.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Apnea during slow sub-anaesthetic infusion of intravenous ketamine for treatment-resistant depression. Gómez-Revuelta, M., Fernández-Rodríguez, M., Boada-Antón, L., et al.[2021]

In a systematic review of 93 studies involving 3756 participants receiving sub-anesthetic doses of ketamine for psychiatric disorders, only four serious adverse medical events (MSAEs) were reported, resulting in an incidence of approximately 0.1%, indicating a very low risk of serious complications.

No serious cardiac events or deaths were observed, and most studies effectively screened out high-risk patients, suggesting that with proper medical screening, ketamine can be administered safely for psychiatric treatment.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

A systematic review of the incidence of medical serious adverse events in sub-anesthetic ketamine treatment of psychiatric disorders. Hovda, N., Gerrish, W., Frizzell, W., et al.[2023]

In a randomized controlled trial involving 57 patients with treatment-resistant depression, intravenous ketamine significantly reduced explicit suicidal thoughts within 24 hours compared to a placebo (midazolam), with 53% of ketamine-treated patients showing no suicidal ideation at that time.

Ketamine also decreased implicit suicidal cognition, as measured by the Implicit Association Test, indicating its potential to rapidly alter both conscious and unconscious suicidal thoughts, particularly in those with higher baseline suicidal ideation.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Effects of ketamine on explicit and implicit suicidal cognition: a randomized controlled trial in treatment-resistant depression. Price, RB., Iosifescu, DV., Murrough, JW., et al.[2022]

In a case series of five inpatients with major depressive disorder and suicidal ideation, six infusions of ketamine led to an impressive 84% reduction in suicidal ideation scores and a 47% reduction in depression scores over approximately 12 days.

The study suggests that serial ketamine infusions are safe and feasible for reducing suicidal thoughts and depressive symptoms, although the small sample size highlights the need for larger randomized controlled trials to confirm these findings.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Ketamine augmentation for major depressive disorder and suicidal ideation: Preliminary experience in an inpatient psychiatry setting. Sinyor, M., Williams, M., Belo, S., et al.[2022]

Low-dose ketamine infusion has shown rapid effects in reducing suicidal thoughts, making it a potentially valuable treatment in general hospital settings for patients at risk of suicide.

The treatment was reported to be efficient and well-tolerated in a patient who had recently attempted suicide, suggesting a favorable benefit-risk ratio for its use in acute care situations.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Ketamine Use for Suicidal Ideation in the General Hospital: Case Report and Short Review. Vulser, H., Vulser, C., Rieutord, M., et al.[2022]

A systematic review of 12 randomized controlled trials found that subanesthetic ketamine, particularly in intravenous form at a dose of 0.5 mg/kg, significantly reduces suicidal ideation in acutely depressed patients, with effects observed within hours.

The benefits of ketamine for reducing suicidal thoughts can last beyond 24 hours, with one study showing sustained improvement up to six weeks after a single dose, although further research is needed to confirm long-term efficacy and safety.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

The rapid anti-suicidal ideation effect of ketamine: A systematic review. Hochschild, A., Grunebaum, MF., Mann, JJ.[2021]

Citations

1. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10441476/

Suicidal ideation and suicide attempt following ketamine ... Our study provides real-world evidence that patients with TRD who were prescribed ketamine experienced significant long-term decrease in suicidal ideation ...

2. medrxiv.org medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.08.19.25333796v1.full

Effects of ketamine and esketamine on death, suicidal ... There were 21 (0.77%) suicide attempts, 4 (0.14%) suicides and 6 (0.21%) deaths with ketamine/esketamine compared to 26 (1.18%), 1 (0.05%) and 2 ...

3. nature.com nature.com/articles/s41398-024-03033-4

Suicidal ideation following ketamine prescription in ... This study provides real-world evidence that ketamine has long-term benefits in mitigating suicidal ideation in patients with recurrent MDD.

4. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9912570/

Ketamine and esketamine in suicidal thoughts and behaviors The aim of this study was to overview the findings on the use of ketamine and esketamine for the treatment of suicidal ideas and acts.

5. sciencedirect.com sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2773021223000020

Completed suicides and intranasal esketamine therapy Four of the 9 reported deaths were suicides during the 611 patient-years of TRD patients and 452 patient-years of MDD with active suicidal ideation and intent.

6. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4614623/

The Effect of Intravenous Ketamine in Suicidal Ideation ... Forty-nine subjects with suicidal ideations with or without an unsuccessful suicide attempt, received 0.2 mg/kg of ketamine. Scale for suicidal ideation (SSI) ...

7. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5880701/

Ketamine for rapid reduction of suicidal thoughts in major ... Adjunctive ketamine demonstrated greater reduction of clinically significant suicidal ideation in depressed patients within 24 hours compared to ...

8. sciencedirect.com sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0165178124005675

Effect of intravenous ketamine on suicidality in adults with ... Mean C-SSRS score significantly decreased following a single ketamine infusion and was indicative of a reduction in suicidality from active to passive suicidal ...

9. clinicaltrials.gov clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT03502551

ED Treatment of Suicidal Patients With Ketamine Infusion Recently, ketamine, an N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor agonist, has been shown to rapidly reduce suicidality in small studies in psychiatric settings.

10. psychiatryonline.org psychiatryonline.org/doi/10.1176/appi.ajp.2017.17060647

Ketamine for Rapid Reduction of Suicidal Thoughts in ... Adjunctive ketamine demonstrated a greater reduction in clinically significant suicidal ideation in depressed patients within 24 hours compared with midazolam.