Committee backs bill to regulate ketamine and psychedelic‑assisted treatment clinics
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Summary
Lawmakers advanced House Bill 717 to establish standards for prescribing, administering and monitoring psychedelic‑assisted treatments — including ketamine clinics — and to exempt FDA‑approved clinical trials and hospital use; supporters said unregulated ketamine clinics present safety risks and the medical board seeks inspection authority.
The House Public Health and Community Committee voted to pass House Bill 717, proposed by the Georgia Composite Medical Board, to set statewide standards for psychedelic‑assisted treatments and therapies, including protocols for ketamine clinics, and to require monitoring and provider qualifications for those services.
Kimberly M., deputy executive director and legal officer for the Georgia Composite Medical Board, told the committee the board’s aim is to “establish parameters to promote safe and effective prescribing, administration, and post‑treatment monitoring of psychedelic‑assisted treatments and therapies.” She said ketamine clinics in Georgia currently operate without consistent protocols for dosing, monitoring and patient safety.
The bill defines “psychedelic‑assisted treatment and therapy” broadly to include psychedelic, dissociative or related substances that may produce hallucinations, dissociation or rapid changes in perception. The board’s presentation clarified that the legislation would not affect FDA‑approved clinical trials or psychedelic therapy administered in hospitals; the transcript cites bill language stating the code section “shall not be construed to prohibit the use of psychedelic assisted treatment or therapy in a hospital setting or in a clinical trial approved by the FDA.”
Committee members described ketamine as a Schedule III medication that is FDA‑approved as an anesthetic and is being used off‑label in outpatient settings to treat treatment‑resistant depression, PTSD and other conditions. Witnesses and lawmakers warned that intravenous administration carries acute medical risks — including respiratory depression, seizure and loss of consciousness — and that existing clinics vary in staffing, protocols and monitoring. Representative Vowell, a clinician who spoke in committee, said when ketamine is given clinically the recovery team is notified and patients are watched closely because the drug “works differently than other drugs.”
The medical board representative said the agency is seeking resources to add inspectors to ensure clinic compliance and is working with federal partners to improve oversight. The committee discussed possible approaches to classification and inspection — including whether these services should be regulated more like outpatient surgery centers — and legislators asked board officials to pursue proactive channels to stay ahead of novel treatments.
A motion for a do‑pass recommendation was made and seconded; the committee advanced the bill by voice vote. The transcript records committee debate and several members urging additional follow‑up work on inspection capacity and cross‑agency coordination. The bill exempts FDA‑approved research and hospital treatment from its requirements.
