The American Society of Anesthesiologists recently raised formal concerns about the boom in at-home ketamine delivery. Their concerns center specifically on at-home delivery and telehealth prescribing without adequate supervision — patients receiving a powerful anesthetic at home, with no one present to monitor their breathing, blood pressure, or response to the medication.

It’s worth remembering that ketamine is, first and foremost, an anesthetic — one that’s been used in operating rooms for decades under strict protocols. Its role in helping patients with treatment-resistant depression, PTSD, and chronic anxiety is now well-established in literature. But the drug itself hasn’t changed. And neither should the standards for how it’s administered.

That’s why at Ketamine Wellness Clinic of Orange County, our standards of patient safety, monitoring, and physician oversight have always reflected the clinical guidelines established by the ASA and the Medical Board of California.

Bioavailability: Precision Dosed for Full Absorption

IV ketamine delivers 100% bioavailability — what we administer is exactly what your patient receives, with real-time dosing control that oral formulations simply can’t come close to matching. For patients with treatment-resistant depression or PTSD, that consistency is what makes the difference between adequate treatment and optimal treatment.

Physician-Monitored, Every Infusion

Every patient at our clinic is monitored continuously throughout their infusion — vital signs, oxygen levels, and clinical response — with a physician and clinical staff present and able to intervene immediately.

The Evidence Was Built on IV Administration

The robust clinical evidence supporting ketamine’s antidepressant effects was established through IV administration. Only IV administration offers the precise dosing needed to achieve optimal therapeutic effect. The therapeutic setting, the clinical relationship, and the quality of the experience itself all contribute to outcomes in ways that a telehealth prescription and a home delivery cannot replicate.

We communicate with referring clinicians, follow your patient’s progress, and operate with the same standard of care you would expect from any supervised medical procedure — because that’s exactly what it is.

As the at-home ketamine space continues to aggressively market to patients through social media advertising, and regulators work to catch up, we remain committed to the standard this medication has always deserved..

Read the ASA’s full statement here.