Final answer:
The need for TDM depends on a drug's therapeutic window and individual factors affecting drug plasma levels. Ampicillin having a wide therapeutic window generally does not require TDM, making the statement false.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement that a drug that is readily cleared and has a wide therapeutic window, such as ampicillin, should always be monitored by Therapeutic Drug Monitoring (TDM) is false. To determine the necessity for TDM, a drug must meet specific criteria: a narrow therapeutic range, significant inter-individual variability in systemic exposure at a given dose, a clear relationship between blood exposure and clinical effect, and an available validated bioanalytical method to measure drug concentration. Ampicillin, having a wide therapeutic window, does not necessitate the rigorous monitoring that TDM provides, as it has a lower risk of drug toxicity and dosing is less likely to require individualization.TDM is essential in personalized medicine where patient-specific factors such as age, weight, genetic polymorphism, and co-morbid diseases can affect drug plasma levels and efficacy. In cases where drugs have serious side effects or narrow therapeutic windows, TDM can significantly help to minimize toxicity and ensure therapeutic effectiveness.