The London Interviews

During a recent trip to London, I was extremely fortunate to sit down with Dr. Andrew Herxheimer and Charles Medawar.


Image filmed by Phil Lawrence in London.

Dr. Herxheimer taught clinical pharmacology and therapeutics at London University from 1960 to 1991, and most recently at Charing Cross and Westminster Medical School. He founded the Drug and Therapeutics Bulletin in 1962 and edited it until 1992. He has chaired the International Society of Drug Bulletins and the Health Working Group of Consumers International. Dr. Herxheimer has many times been a consultant to the World Health Organization - providing independent, unbiased, clear and concise information about therapeutic interventions for professionals and the public as well as his observations and experience of the pharmaceutical industry.


Image filmed by Phil Lawrence in London.

Charles Medawar’s background in consumer protection - he has worked with Ralph Nader in Washington DC, and currently works with the Public Interest Research Centre (PIRC)/Social Audit in the UK – which he helped establish in 1972. PIRC/Social Audit is a non-profit agency specializing in medicines policy, drug safety issues and corporate, governmental and professional accountability.

In speaking with Mr. Medawar, I learned a great deal about policy in the U.K. regarding drug safety and approval. While there are some differences between the U.K. and the U.S. (most important is the U.K.'s acknowledgement of the dangers of SSRIs for children), there are a greater number of similarities. The most striking similarities are the power and influence of the pharmaceutical companies and the glaring inadequacies of the regulators.