Josef Witt-Doerring, MD

Dr. Josef Witt-Doerring is a board-certified psychiatrist and a leading expert in psychiatric drug side effects and withdrawal. He is the CEO and Medical Director of TaperClinic, where he oversees all aspects of patient care, supervises clinical staff, develops individualized tapering protocols, and works directly with patients experiencing complex withdrawal syndromes. His mission is to provide safe, evidence-informed care for those seeking to reduce or discontinue psychiatric medications.

Founded in 2020, the TaperClinic, is one of the only medical practices in the world dedicated exclusively to treating psychiatric drug injury and guiding patients through safe deprescribing. Under his leadership, the clinic has become the largest medical practice in the world devoted solely to psychiatric deprescribing and a trusted resource for individuals navigating severe withdrawal syndromes and medication-related harm.

Dr. Witt-Doerring brings a rare and valuable perspective to his work, shaped by years of experience at the intersection of clinical psychiatry, regulatory science, and pharmaceutical drug safety. As a Medical Officer in the Division of Psychiatry at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, he reviewed emerging adverse drug reactions and contributed to updates in drug labeling—gaining firsthand insight into the risks of psychiatric interventions and the systemic blind spots that often leave patients harmed and unsupported.

In addition to his work at the FDA, he has held clinical research and drug safety positions at several pharmaceutical companies. He pursued a specialized fellowship in Psychiatric Drug Development at Janssen Research & Development and Drexel College of Medicine, and later trained in Functional and Integrative Psychiatry through the Psychiatry Redefined Fellowship. He went on to complete his psychiatric residency at Baylor College of Medicine and earned his medical degree from the University of Queensland in Australia.

With his unique combination of regulatory, research, and clinical experience, Dr. Witt-Doerring leads TaperClinic with a patient-first philosophy, ensuring that every individual receives the time, care, and expertise needed to heal.