IM Ketamine vs Midazolam for Suicidal ER Patients

Rising US suicide rates and the increased risk of suicide among persons who visit an emergency department (ED) for suicidality make the ED an important site for interventions to prevent suicide. There is no approved treatment for rapid relief of suicidal thoughts although clinical trials, including ours, show relief of suicidal thoughts within hours of treatment with inexpensive, generic, sub-anesthetic ketamine. We propose a clinical trial of intramuscular ketamine in depressed ED patients with high-risk suicidality, which if successful would support a novel, easy-to-use, scalable intervention for busy emergency clinicians to implement. NOTE: The NYSPI site is currently paused and has been paused since an institutional pause on human subjects research began in June, 2023. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of Human Research Protections (OHRP) issued an FWA restriction on NYSPI research that also included a pause of human subjects research as of June 23, 2023. Non-HHS Studies: The IO in concurrence with the IRB paused human subjects research on June 12, 2023. Therefore, the NYSPI site is not enrolling at this time.