A new look at the profession of clinical pharmacology.

The debate over the scope of clinical pharmacology--and the clinical pharmacologist--is ongoing. The stated content of clinical pharmacology is therapeutics, whereas the recommended training programs are geared to train researchers. Most clinical pharmacologists make their living in research. People who do not identify themselves as clinical pharmacologists do much research on drug effects in humans. The professional clinical pharmacologist's role must be re-evaluated in the context of society's needs and sources of funding.