A new study shows that club drug ketamine has shown promise in the rapid treatment of major depression and suicidal thoughts. Ketamine has a reputation as a  party drug but is licensed as an anesthetic. The study found use of the drug via a nasal spray led to a significant improvements in depressive symptoms in the first 24 hours. The report by researchers from Janssen Research and Development and Yale School of Medicine, is the first study into ketamine as a treatment for depression that has been done by a drug company. The trial looked at 68 people at imminent risk of suicide. All patients were treated with a story in hospital and anti-depressants; half were given ketamine in the form of eskatemine in a nasal spray and half were given a placebo. The study’s authors suggest it could offer an effective rapid treatment for people severely depressed at imminent risk of suicide and could help in the initial stages of treatment and the nasal spray is now undergoing phase three trials before it can be licensed for treatment.