SECOND REPORT ON THE ORGANIZATION OF PHARMACOLOGY IN GREAT BRITAIN

1 A questionnaire was sent to 150 departments employing pharmacologists including all those academic departments teaching pharmacology, in Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and all industrial firms and research institutes engaged in pharmacological (27) and toxicological (38) work. All questionnaires were completed. The returns refer to the situation on 1st January 1972. 2 There were 1,104 pharmacologists, of whom 652 were established staff, 383 were research staff and students, and 29 visiting workers. Of the staff in established posts, 192 were in medical schools, 81 in other university departments, 75 in other non‐university departments and 28 in toxicology departments. Forty pharmacologists were established in other research units. 3 Since 1964, 11 B.Sc. (Pharmacology) courses have been started. In 1971–72 there were 69 students in the final year of all B.Sc. Pharmacology courses. By 1974–75, 134 students are expected in the final year of these courses. 4 Of 413 students specializing in pharmacology who graduated in 1971, 74% had taken a pharmacy qualification. Overall, 26% continued in academic courses, 11% went into industry, 56% into hospital or retail pharmacy. Only 1% were unemployed. 5 Of 68 students completing postgraduate courses in pharmacology in 1971, 20% went into university teaching, 26% into industry and only 1% were unemployed. At present there are 260 students in postgraduate training in pharmacology departments. 6 During 1970 and 1971 appointments exceeded losses in all sections giving an overall annual gain of 58.5. The total demand was estimated at 73 per year over this time. The predicted size of pharmacology departments in 1974–75 could lead to a maximum annual demand of 95 per year for these next three years. 7 Up to January 1972, the supply of, and demand for pharmacologists seems to have been near balance from the unemployment and vacancy rates reported. However, in 1971, the supply of pharmacologists exceeded significantly the identifiable demand from pharmacology and toxicology departments. Thus there was a considerable demand from unknown employers. In the future there will be a considerable increase in the supply of specialist pharmacologists. We cannot predict if this will be balanced by demand in the absence of information about the growth in demand from the unknown employers. 8 Taking the number of professors as an index of academic status, pharmacology has improved its standing, especially in the non‐medical school departments. Now there are 40 professors in 51 departments compared with 25 in 42 departments in 1964. 9 Overall, the composition of departments has not changed much since 1964. Academic departments still draw on each other for their pharmacologists whereas industrial departments draw equally from other industrial departments and academic departments. The total proportion of medically qualified pharmacologists has fallen to 14% (from 25% in 1964) and these pharmacologists are still concentrated heavily in medical school departments. In industrial departments, only 3% have a medical qualification. 10 From the replies of 94 out of 410 recent graduates specializing in pharmacology, the courses are in general interesting and effective. However, both students and employers considered that not enough statistics and mathematics as applied to pharmacology were taught. Of the respondents, 84% also wanted more teaching on the clinical use of drugs.