“First, Do No Harm”–A Basic Tenet in Jeopardy?

Abstract

This paper reviews recent research with electrophysiology analysis and the ability to predict psychotropic medication response. Four clinical cases are presented which illustrate the harm of inappropriate medication use or medication stacking which is an inadvertent common occurrence. The cases also demonstrate the benefit achieved by using Referenced-EEG (rEEG) to guide medication selection. Instances of unnecessarily or incorrectly medicating patients, as evidenced by both rEEG reports and patient clinical response, are highlighted. The possible inaccuracies of our current DSM nomenclature to describe patient phenotypes, which routinely determine psychotropic treatment, are case illustrated by comparing outcomes achieved using neuroelectrophysiology technology.