General · Texas behavioral health news
Texas wants to ban in-home ketamine and add more physician oversight during treatment
Texas Tribune – Health · By Stephen Simpson · April 28, 2026
In plain language
The Texas Medical Board is considering new rules to strictly regulate ketamine, a drug used to treat depression and PTSD. If passed, the rules would ban people from using ketamine at home and require more direct supervision by doctors at clinics. Supporters say these changes are necessary to prevent dangerous side effects and overdoses. However, critics worry the regulations will make treatment much more expensive and harder to find, especially for patients in rural parts of Texas.
AI-generated summary of the source article. Not medical advice.
Key takeaways
- Texas may soon prohibit the use of ketamine treatments in private homes.
- Proposed rules would require a doctor to be on-site or limit staff to treating only two patients at a time.
- Health providers would need specific training in mental health before they can administer the drug.
- Ketamine poisonings have more than doubled nationally since 2019, leading to increased safety concerns.
- Clinic owners warn that new oversight requirements could raise the cost of treatment by hundreds of dollars.
- The Texas Medical Board is expected to vote on these regulatory changes in June.
Will Ratliff, director of health operations of Transcend Health Solutions, runs through a demonstration with staff members of what the ketamine administration process looks like in his clinic on Thursday, April 23, 2026. " data-large-file="https://i0.wp.com/www.texastribune.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/20260423-MS-Ketamine-Clinic-16-full.jpg?fit=780%2C520&quality=89&ssl=1" /> Ketamine industry leaders say Texas Medical Board’s proposal to require physician supervision or limit treatments to two people at a time will force clinics to close. The post Texas wants to ban in-home ketamine and add more physician oversight during treatment appeared first on The Texas Tribune.
Need to talk to someone in Texas? Browse Texas-licensed telehealth therapists. In crisis, call or text 988.