Developments in Clinical Psychopharmacology From 1975 Through 2000: A Personal Perspective

As I prepare to step down from my position as Psychopharmacology Columnist for the Journal of Psychiatric Practice after over 30 years in that role, it seemed appropriate to look back and discuss some major developments in psychopharmacology that have occurred over the course of the 50+ years of my career. To keep this narrative manageable in a column format, it is divided into 2 columns. Neither this column nor the next will cover everything-that would require a textbook. Instead, I will cover selected topics from a personal perspective. This column will principally focus on the first 25 years of my career and covers 5 main topics: therapeutic drug monitoring, which led to pharmacogenomics, studies in child and adolescent psychiatry, drug development research, neurobiology, and forensic psychiatry.