A Systematic Review to Determine if Family History of Response to Medication Predicts Outcome in Mood Disorders

Examining a patient's family history of medication response is a commonly used method to guide physicians in treatment selection. Though it is widely recommended, there are no published reviews that assess the validity of this approach when treating patients with affective disorders. In this podcast, authors Jeffrey J. Rakofsky, Michael J. Lucido, and Boadie W. Dunlop of the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Emory University discuss their article, "A Systematic Review to Determine if Family History of Response to Medication Predicts Outcome in Mood Disorders," which is published in the July-August 2025 issue of the Journal of Clinical Psychopharmacology. In their analysis, the evidence supporting using family history is weak and should be considered as just one piece of the puzzle that should not override other considerations. doi: 10.1097/JCP.0000000000002011