ABOUT CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY

Clinical pharmacology comprises all aspects of the scientific study of drugs in humans, with the objective of ensuring rational drug therapy. It is unusual to train exclusively in clinical pharmacology. Most clinical pharmacologists are also general physicians, although there are clinical pharmacologists in New Zealand who work in paediatrics, renal medicine, gastroenterology, oncology and pain management. In Australia and the United Kingdom there are clinical pharmacologists trained in geriatrics, cardiology, respiratory medicine, rheumatology, obstetric medicine and palliative care.

All clinical pharmacologists are involved in teaching about medicines at undergraduate and postgraduate levels and most serve, at one time or other, on committees involved with medicines regulation such as the Medicines Assessment Advisory Committee (Ministry of Health) or the Standing Committee on Therapeutic Trials (Health Research Council). Clinical pharmacologists are able to develop areas of interest and expertise that could include clinical trials, therapeutic drug monitoring, drug utilisation review, adverse drug reactions, clinical toxicology or pharmacogenomics. Some pursue clinical and research interests in the management of a specific disease such as hypertension, asthma, heart failure, epilepsy, cancer or rheumatoid arthritis.

Almost all of the clinical pharmacology jobs advertised in New Zealand are university positions. Specialists who have trained in another subspecialty as well as clinical pharmacology may be employed as full time hospital physicians. These individuals are not generally appointed to posts as clinical pharmacologists but make use of their skills in clinical practice and research.