A dangerous lack of pharmacology education in medical and nursing schools: A policy statement from the American College of Clinical Pharmacology

Therapeutics in all subspecialties of medicine has become more complex in recent years for a variety of reasons. Newer pharmaceuticals with greater and potentially serious toxicities are commonly used today for a large number of serious illnesses. Such drugs often interact adversely with food and with many so-called “natural” medicines such as Saint. John’s wort. They may also interact with other drugs, such as those used to treat comorbidities that are outside of the realm of expertise of the physician treating the patient’s most serious problem. Many newer agents need to be given in precise doses based on the patient’s weight or body surface area, and somemust be taken in specific relationship to food intake. Drug dosing in many instances must take into account dietary components, administration of other drugs, and patient genetics. Consequently, correct prescribing of medicines today requires a complete knowledge of the pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, drug–drug interactions, and other aspects of the agent to be prescribed. Unfortunately, there is abundant evidence in the form of prescription errors (paper and electronic) and increasing numbers of hospital admissions for drug toxicity in this country and many others that prescribers are not always sufficiently educated to properly administer and monitor present-day therapeutics. For physicians, nurses, and physician assistants, the lack of sufficient clinical pharmacologic training can often be traced all the way back to undergraduate school.