Editorial
Copyright ©The Author(s) 2024. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.
World J Methodol. Dec 20, 2024; 14(4): 96145
Published online Dec 20, 2024. doi: 10.5662/wjm.v14.i4.96145
Exploring the limited use of transdermal medications in psychiatry: Challenges and potential solutions
Mandeep Kaur, Meera Patel, Elizabeth Monis
Mandeep Kaur, Meera Patel, Elizabeth Monis, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health, Cape Fear Valley Medical Center, Fayetteville, NC 28305, United States
Author contributions: Kaur M designed the research study; Kaur M, Patel M, Monis E performed the research and wrote the manuscript; Kaur M revised the manuscript.
Conflict-of-interest statement: All the authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.
Open-Access: This article is an open-access article that was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: https://creativecommons.org/Licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Corresponding author: Mandeep Kaur, MD, Assistant Professor, Staff Physician, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health, Cape Fear Valley Medical Center, 711 Executive Place, 4th Floor, Fayetteville, NC 28305, United States. mandy.drmandeep@gmail.com
Received: April 28, 2024
Revised: June 29, 2024
Accepted: July 10, 2024
Published online: December 20, 2024
Processing time: 89 Days and 6.5 Hours
Abstract

Transdermal medications are an useful yet underutilized tool in the field of psychiatry. Despite numerous advantages of using this route of medication delivery, transdermal medications remain less popular compared to other routes of medication administration such as oral and intramuscular routes in the management of various psychiatric conditions. In this editorial, we examine the advantages of transdermal medications with a brief overview of transdermal being used in psychiatry and other medical specialties. We discuss the factors that play a role in their limited usage in psychiatry. We highlight certain patient categories who can specifically benefit from them and discuss potential solutions that can broaden the perspective of treating clinicians making this an intriguing avenue in the field of psychiatry.

Keywords: Transdermal medications; Psychiatric medications; Psychopharmacology; Treatment options; Potential solutions

Core Tip: The field of psychiatry is advancing at an exponential rate. The advancements made in the diagnostic and treatment modalities for various psychiatric conditions is exemplary. Transdermal route of medication delivery has been around for past few decades, however, this route has not been a favorable route in psychiatry practices due to various biochemical, patient as well as clinician preferences. In this editorial article we discuss this issue and bring forward some potential solutions to make transdermal medication delivery as a viable option in the area of psychiatry.