Telehealth has expanded exponentially since the pandemic increased demand for remote health services. The expansion of this service made prescription drugs more accessible, for better or for worse. Ketamine was one of these drugs, prescribed remotely for severe depression and other mental disorders which didn’t previously respond to traditional treatments. With policies loosening restrictions on remote prescriptions during and after the pandemic, the remote ketamine industry has appeared almost overnight. Although ketamine is touted as a miracle drug in some communities, it is known anecdotally to cause severe bladder damage and may lead to addiction and cognitive decline when used in the long term. As a psychedelic, ketamine also comes with the risks associated, such as the development of HPPD. 

Even though ketamine may be more accessible, there are possible benefits of the drug as a therapeutic pharmaceutical. Chronic usage is still advised against, says Dr. Adam Howe, a urologist from Albany Medical Center. Ketamine as an industry is constantly evolving, with F.D.A regulations and pharmaceutical companies locked in a constant battle. To learn more about ketamine and its rise with the expansion of telehealth, read the New York Times article here.