The Valens Clinic Dubai has announced the launch of the Middle East’s first dedicated Esketamine Referral Center, expanding access to advanced, evidence-based treatment for adults living with treatment-resistant depression and severe depressive disorders.
The new Esketamine Center of Excellence is now accepting referrals from doctors, psychiatrists, hospitals, clinics, and healthcare providers across the UAE, GCC, Middle East, and internationally.
Located in Dubai, The Valens Clinic is a DHA-licensed and CDA-accredited mental health clinic with branches in Business Bay and Jumeirah 3. The center is led by Consultant Psychiatrist Dr. Bassam Dheyaa and operates in strategic collaboration with Johnson & Johnson, the pharmaceutical company behind Spravato®, the esketamine nasal spray used in specialist psychiatric settings.
Advancing Esketamine Treatment in Dubai and the Middle East
Esketamine is one of the most important advances in modern psychiatry for patients who have not responded adequately to conventional antidepressant treatments. Spravato®, an esketamine nasal spray, is used under strict medical supervision for eligible adults with treatment-resistant depression and selected severe depressive presentations, including major depressive disorder with acute suicidal ideation or behaviour, where clinically appropriate.
Esketamine treatment has been available in the region for several years. The Valens Clinic is now expanding access by creating a dedicated referral pathway, increasing clinical capacity, and opening the service to collaboration with external physicians, psychiatrists, hospitals, and healthcare facilities.
This launch represents an important milestone for psychiatric care in Dubai, the UAE, the GCC, and the broader Middle East, particularly for patients who require more specialized treatment options beyond standard antidepressant medication and psychotherapy.
“We are committed to bringing world-class, evidence-based psychiatric care to our patients in Dubai and across the Middle East,” said Dr. Joseph El-Khoury, Medical Director and CEO of The Valens Clinic Dubai. “Esketamine represents one of the most significant advances in the treatment of severe depression in decades. Establishing this dedicated center reflects our ambition to raise the standard of mental health care in the region.”
A Specialist Esketamine Referral Pathway for Doctors and Patients
The Valens Clinic’s Esketamine Center of Excellence has been designed as a specialist referral hub for clinicians seeking a safe, structured, and medically supervised esketamine treatment pathway for their patients.
The center supports referrals for eligible adult patients with:
- Treatment-resistant depression
- Severe depression requiring specialist psychiatric review
- Major depressive disorder where advanced treatment options may be clinically indicated
- Patients who have not achieved adequate response with conventional antidepressant treatment
All esketamine sessions are delivered in a fully equipped clinical environment under medical supervision. Patients are monitored by trained clinical staff and consultant psychiatrists, with treatment integrated into a broader, personalized mental health care plan.
Collaborative Care With Referring Physicians
The Esketamine Center of Excellence is structured to support external clinicians while respecting the continuity of care between the patient and their referring doctor.
Referring physicians can expect:
- A clear and streamlined referral process
- Specialist psychiatric assessment
- Eligibility review for esketamine treatment
- Supervised administration in a regulated clinical setting
- Ongoing clinical communication
- Coordination with the referring doctor
- Patient safety monitoring throughout the treatment pathway
The Valens Clinic does not replace the role of the referring physician. Instead, the center provides a specialist treatment pathway while allowing referring doctors to remain involved in the patient’s wider care journey.
DHA-Licensed and CDA-Accredited Mental Health Care in Dubai
The Valens Clinic operates under Dubai Health Authority licensing and Community Development Authority accreditation, supporting a high standard of clinical governance, patient safety, and regulatory compliance.
With two locations in Dubai — Business Bay and Jumeirah 3 — The Valens Clinic provides psychiatric, psychological, therapeutic, and multidisciplinary mental health services for adults, children, adolescents, couples, and families.
The clinic is also active in clinical training, academic development, and research-oriented mental health initiatives, with established academic affiliations and a growing role in regional mental health education.
Referrals Now Open
Doctors, psychiatrists, hospitals, clinics, and healthcare providers in the UAE and internationally can now refer eligible patients to The Valens Clinic’s Esketamine Center of Excellence in Dubai.
For esketamine referral enquiries and clinical information, please contact:
