The Value of the Clinical Pharmacist in the Drug Development Process

Abstract

Due to the complexity of the clinical research process, the increasing proportion of sales that research and development (R&D) expenditures represent, and the competitive nature of the 1980's marketplace, pharmaceutical companies have had to explore various alternatives to increase the productivity and efficiency of their clinical drug development programs. The increased utilization of clinical pharmacists has been one such approach. Clinical pharmacists, particularly those with the Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.) degree, possess a unique profile of skills ideally suited to the drug development process (the clinical research process). Having developed positive collaborative relationships with their physician colleagues at various institutions around the country and within the pharmaceutical industry, clinical pharmacists have expanded their involvement in clinical research over the past decade. As “out of house” investigators and “in house” drug development personnel, these professionals have been able to make significant contributions to the drug development process. The continued expansion of clinical pharmacist involvement in this area can provide many benefits to the pharmaceutical industry. These benefits include conducting timely and quality research, establishing networks of clinical pharmacy scientists, allowing for efficient utilization of physicians and other scientific personnel in clinical research, collaborating with various professionals in solving key problems associated with the development of a new product, improving relations with the profession of pharmacy, and providing overall cost benefits to research sponsors. The clinical pharmacist, therefore, represents a valuable resource for pharmaceutical companies to utilize in attaining their drug development and marketing goals.