This week we are joined from Canada by Professor James McCormack. James is a pharmacist and co-host of the Best Science Medicine Podcast and is world renowned for his entertaining take on shared decision making and using evidence based information. James also uses music to teach others about polypharmacy and deprescribing. No, really!

We chat to James about his hugely successful podcast, the importance of informed shared decision making and how we can all do it. We discuss the dangers of always doing things the same way because that is the way they have always been done and the thankless task of drug monitoring. Jamie and Steve dance along to some music but thankfully you can’t see that.

Our micro discussion focuses on ‘The four research papers I wish my doctor had read before prescribing an antidepressant’ (https://bjgplife.com/the-four-research-papers-i-wish-my-doctor-had-read-before-prescribing-an-antidepressant/) and ‘Tapering antidepressants; why do tens of thousands turn to facebook for support?’ (https://bjgp.org/content/71/708/315).

As with all our guests we ask James to pick his ‘Desert Island Drug’, a career defining anthem and a book that has influenced his work. The choices do not disappoint!

You can find our more about the Best Science Podcast at https://therapeuticseducation.org/.

Bohemian Polypharmacy https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lp3pFjKoZl8&t=41s

Professor James McCormack Bio

James received his undergraduate pharmacy degree at the University of British Columbia in 1982 and received his doctorate in pharmacy (Pharm.D.) in 1986 from the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston, South Carolina.
He has had extensive experience, both locally and internationally, talking to health professionals and consumers about the rational use of medication, and has presented over 500 seminars on drug therapy over the last 30 years.
He focuses on shared decision-making using evidence based information and rational therapeutic principles and he is also the co-host of a very popular weekly podcast called the Best Science (BS) Medicine podcast.
He also has a book entitled the Nutrition Proposition which is close to completion

To get in touch follow us on Twitter @auralapothecary or email us at [email protected]

You can listen to the Aural Apothecary playlist here; https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3OsWj4w8sxsvuwR9zMXgn5?si=tiHXrQI7QsGtSQwPyz1KBg