ABSTRACT
A prime example of the mixture of art and science in mental health medication is the use of serum blood levels of psychotropic medications. The introduction and successful use of serum blood levels (sometimes referred to as Therapeutic Drug Monitoring, or TDM) has scientifically “legitimized” psychiatry to both clinicians and patients. It supports the notion that mental health prescriptions are scientific and in line with other specialties of medicine. Utilizing the results of blood levels, however, still requires the art of flexibility and judgment, rather than rote treatment decision-making based on numbers.
