Braxia Scientific Corp has announced that CEO Dr. Roger McIntyre is joining KetaMD as an adviser.
KetaMD, currently in beta, is a telemedicine platform in development that aims to provide affordable, potentially life-changing, at-home medical ketamine treatments guided by registered nurses.
Braxia said Dr. McIntyre is a world-renowned expert in the treatment of depression and has contributed extensively to clinical practice guidelines for ketamine. He has been involved in nearly 750 published research endeavors centered around the treatment of mental health disorders.
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He is also the lead author of the International Expert Opinion on the Available Evidence and Implementation of Ketamine and Esketamine in Mood Disorders, published in the American Journal of Psychiatry in March 2021.
"We are in the midst of a mental health crisis. According to the CDC, 41 percent of U.S. adults experienced anxiety or depression during the pandemic," said Zappy Zapolin, co-founder of KetaMD and well-known psychedelic concierge to the stars, in a statement.
"There is urgency to bring ketamine mainstream to potentially help millions of people. Dr. McIntyre is a seasoned researcher and leader in healthcare and academia, and his knowledge of ketamine in the treatment of mental health disorders is invaluable as we prepare to launch the KetaMD telehealth service. We are honored to welcome his expertise."
Ketamine is an anesthetic approved by the US Food and Drug Administration. Its off-label, medically supervised use has been described as a breakthrough therapy for treating depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), addiction, and more. Research at the Yale School of Medicine has shown that a single dose of ketamine can rapidly reverse stress-induced damage to brain-cell connections.
Best practices
As an adviser, Braxia said Dr. McIntyre will collaborate on best practices as KetaMD rolls out its nationwide service.
Braxia also noted that Zapolin and fellow KetaMD co-founder Warren Gumpel also founded The Ketamine Fund, a non-profit organization that has donated hundreds of free, medically supervised ketamine treatments to veterans suffering with PTSD, substantially reducing their depression and suicidal ideation.
Together with Dr. McIntyre, the KetaMD team will champion the benefits of ketamine and how it can be used safely to change lives.
"KetaMD is positioned to bring affordable and accessible ketamine treatments to hundreds of thousands of people over the next few years, including many who are not well-served by the existing healthcare options," said Dr. McIntyre said.
"I'm always excited by opportunities to help educate the public and open the dialogue on innovative treatment for medicine-resistant mental health disorders. Everyone deserves the opportunity to live their life fully. Working together, we are closer to realizing that vision."
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