Therapeutic Drug Monitoring

Therapeutic Drug Monitoring (TDM) is a clinical and laboratory-based procedure of monitoring the concentrations of a drug in the body to ensure that the desired therapeutic levels are being achieved. TDM is used for optimizing drug treatments, improving patient safety, and adjusting dose regimens of certain drugs, such as anti-epileptics, antibiotics, and anti-cancer drugs, to ensure maximum efficacy and reduce or eliminate the risks of side effects and toxicity. The procedure is vital in providing timely and effective individualized drug therapy, thus improving patient outcomes and reducing the burden of drug-related morbidity, mortality, and health care costs.