Committee approves bill to require safety standards for ketamine clinics

The committee approved a substitute bill from the Board of Medicine that would let the Board adopt standards for clinics administering ketamine, in response to testimony about unregulated providers and patient safety concerns.

Sponsor’s presentation: The sponsor said rogue clinics offering IV ketamine lack consistent standards, safety equipment and trained personnel. She described ketamine as a drug that can cause hallucinations and requires monitoring and suggested the board set rules requiring resuscitation equipment and appropriately trained clinicians (for example, anesthesiologists or nurse anesthetists) and require clinics to register with the Board of Medicine.

Questions and answers: Committee members asked whether clinics currently register and how many operate in Georgia; the sponsor said the precise number is unknown but estimated 20–40. Members noted constitutional limits on closing existing clinics outright but said registration and standards would improve oversight.

Vote: The committee moved and passed the measure by unanimous voice vote.

Next steps: The bill advances to the next legislative stage; the board would be tasked with writing specific regulations if the statute is enacted.