Appraising the visibility, relevance and impacts of clinical pharmacology.

AIMS: Clinical pharmacology (CP) used to be a strong medical and scientific field, but during the last three decades it seems to have lost some of its appeal. We reviewed the visibility, relevance and impact of CP and clinical pharmacologists across the globe and suggest ways to strengthen the discipline to address future pharmacotherapeutic challenges.

METHODS

Literature consultations and multiple survey approaches through personal contacts with leading experts from high-income countries, Asia and Africa and with CP scientific journal editors with presentation, discussion and recommendations at a workshop (World Congress in Basic and Clinical Pharmacology, Glasgow 2023).

RESULTS

Historically, CP has been a leading discipline for the advancement of knowledge and practice of rational principles for human drug use. However, currently there is variable visibility and impact between countries in research, education and clinical services. The workshop participants agreed that CP continues to be an open transdisciplinary subject to address challenges of drug development with affordable access to essential medicines and rational use of new advanced therapies as well as essential medicines. Medical specialisation programmes in clinical pharmacology and therapeutics should be the norm and become attractive through introducing board programmes for accreditation of specialists building on models existing in some European countries, India, Nigeria and South Africa.

CONCLUSIONS

Clinical pharmacologists should collaborate across countries and disseminate success stories, demonstrating their essential contributions to medical science and patient care. A white book with comprehensive global representation on the future role, structure and impact of the discipline should be developed.