Using ketamine in the management of chronic non-cancer pain

In 2016, the Faculty of Pain Medicine (FPM) published the “Proposal for a practice guideline: Low dose ketamine infusion in the management of chronic non-cancer pain”. This document has now been revised into a position statement that describes where the Faculty stands on this issue.

The FPM of the Australian and New Zealand College of Anaesthetists (ANZCA) is responsible for the training and examination of specialist pain medicine physicians, and for the standards of clinical practice in New Zealand and Australia. The college’s mission is to serve the community by fostering safety and high-quality patient care in anaesthesia, perioperative medicine and pain medicine. The FPM aims to promote the highest standards of patient care, including quality and safety.

The position statement reflects both the unsettled state of the literature in this arena and the fact that such practice is "off-label" in Australia and New Zealand. This document is not a guideline for the use of ketamine in chronic non-cancer pain but offers guidance, based on the literature and expert consensus, to inform the judgement of practitioners and to promote safety and quality for their patients. The full position statement can be viewed here.

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