A new medication for treatment resistant depression was recently approved by the FDA (2020). It is a nasal spray called esketamine (Spravato) which is ketamine based. This has been found in clinical trials to have a rapid antidepressant effect in people with major depressive disorder.
It has not been studied for the treatment of PMDD or PME and therefore is not currently approved for these conditions by the FDA. We do not know whether individuals with PMDD or PME would improve, stay the same, or worsen when given this medication.
Clinical trials with patients with PMDD and PME would be needed before we could state the effect of esketamine on those with PMDs.
Currently, no clinical trials on this are planned but we will update this information with any changes.
Tory Eisenlohr-Moul Ph.D.
Clinical Advisory Board Chair
September 2020