23/06/2026
Ottawa, Ontario — Tuesday June 23, 2026
When young people with suicidal ideation visit the emergency department, immediate treatment options are limited. There is mounting evidence to suggest ketamine can rapidly reduce suicidal thoughts in adults — so researchers wanted to know whether the same approach could help young people.
A new pilot study from researchers Maala Bhatt and Amy Plint and their team at the CHEO Research Institute is the first step in exploring whether this kind of intervention could realistically and safely be delivered to youth with suicidal ideation in the emergency department.
“We’re still in the early stages of this research, but the findings are encouraging and support further investigation into ketamine’s potential as a rapid-acting treatment for adolescents experiencing suicidal thoughts.” – Dr. Maala Bhatt
The clinical trial involved 20 adolescents between the ages of 12 and 17 who visited the CHEO emergency department with moderate-to-severe suicidal ideation. Participants received either a single low-dose ketamine or placebo infusion alongside standard mental health care.
All eligible participants agreed to enroll, nearly all completed follow-up, and no serious adverse events were reported – showing that this type of intervention was both feasible and well-accepted by youth and families.
This research now sets the stage for larger studies to better understand the effectiveness of ketamine as a rapid-acting intervention in the emergency department for youth with suicidal ideation.