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Pharmacometrics: A Multidisciplinary Field to Facilitate Critical Thinking in Drug Development and Translational Research Settings

From the Laboratory for Applied PK/PD, Clinical Pharmacology & Therapeutics Division, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (Dr Barrett); the Pediatrics Department, School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (Dr Barrett); the Department of Clinical Pharmacokinetics, Modeling, and Simulation, GlaxoSmithKline, King of Prussia, Pennsylvania (Dr Fossler); KDC Group Inc, Lawrenceville, New Jersey (Mr Cadieu); and the Metrum Institute, Tariffville, Connecticut (Dr Gastonguay).

Pharmacometrics has evolved beyond quantitative analysis methods used to facilitate decision making in drug development, although the application of the discipline in this arena continues to represent the primary emphasis of scientists calling themselves pharmacometricians. While related fields populate and interface with pharmacometrics, there is a natural synergy with clinical pharmacology due to common areas of research and the decision-making expectation with respect to evolving conventional and translational research paradigms. Innovative and adaptable training programs and resources are essential in this regard as both disciplines promise to be key elements of the clinical research workplace of the future. The demand for scientists with pharmacometrics skills has risen substantially. Likewise, the salary garnered by those with these skills appears to be surpassing their counterparts without such backgrounds. Given the paucity of existing training programs, available training materials, and academic champions, a virtual faculty and online curriculum would allow students to matriculate into one of several programs associated with their advisor but take instruction from faculty at multiple institutions, including instructors in both industrial and regulatory settings. Flexibility in both the curriculum and the governance of the degree would provide the greatest hope of addressing the short supply of trained pharmacometricians.

Key Words: Pharmacometrics • critical path • NIH roadmap • education • clinical pharmacology

Address for correspondence: Dr Jeffrey S. Barrett, The University of Pennsylvania Medical School, Pediatrics Department, Abramson Research Center, Rm 916H, 3615 Civic Center Boulevard, Philadelphia, PA 19104; e-mail: barrettj{at}email.chop.edu.