Directly Observed Therapy (DOT)
Directly observed therapy (DOT) is done when it is very important
that a person takes every dose of medicine. For DOT, a health professional
watches each time a person takes his or medicine.
During DOT, a person must go to a hospital, clinic, or doctor's
office to take the medicine. Or a health professional may come to the person's
home, workplace, or other location to make sure that he or she takes the
medicine.
DOT often is done when treating diseases that are easily spread to
other people, such as tuberculosis (TB). Studies have shown that DOT improves
the success of TB treatment. DOT may also be done during clinical trials to
find out whether a medicine works against a certain disease.
Last Revised:
April 15, 2011
Author:
Healthwise Staff
Medical Review:
E. Gregory Thompson, MD - Internal Medicine & R. Steven Tharratt, MD, MPVM, FACP, FCCP - Pulmonology, Critical Care Medicine, Medical Toxicology