A pilot study at St. Michael’s Hospital found ketamine combined with psychotherapy was feasible and safe for chronic neuropathic pain, with about 80% achieving a meaningful reduction in pain interference by week 20.

Researchers from St. Michael’s Hospital and Unity Health Toronto randomly assigned 30 patients to ketamine infusions, weekly psychotherapy, or both. About 80% of those receiving both treatments improved their pain interference score by at least 2.5 points by week 20, compared with 63% receiving ketamine alone and 56% receiving psychotherapy alone. The study was not powered to assess efficacy.