Dr. A. Douglas Kinghorn among fellows as Royal College of Pharmacy takes shape

On April 15, 2026, the Royal Pharmaceutical Society officially became the Royal College of Pharmacy, assuming a new role as the professional leadership body for pharmacists and pharmaceutical scientists in England, Scotland and Wales.

The Royal College of Pharmacy will continue to advance pharmacy practice and patient care while upholding professional standards, providing education and credentialing, and supporting scientific research and publishing. Its flagship publication, the Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmacology, is currently co-published by Oxford University Press.

A. Douglas Kinghorn, PhD, DSc, Jack L. Beal Chair and Distinguished University Professor in the Division of Medicinal Chemistry and Pharmacognosy, has been a member of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society for 50 years and was named a fellow in 1991. Since 2009, he has served on the editorial board of the Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmacology and is a frequent manuscript referee.

According to a letter sent to members and fellows, the creation of the Royal College of Pharmacy is expected to strengthen engagement with government policymakers, the public and other healthcare professionals. The new college joins several other Royal Colleges in the U.K. representing medicine, nursing, midwifery and allied health professions.