DR. DAVID BENJAMIN'S
World of
Clinical Pharmacology

Meet David M. Benjamin, Ph.D.

Clinical Pharmacologist & Toxicologist

General Background Information
David M. Benjamin, Ph.D. is a Clinical Pharmacologist and Toxicologist. Dr. Benjamin is a former Clinical Research Director in the pharmaceutical industry and has worked for such well-known companies as Pfizer Pharmaceuticals, Hoffmann-La Roche and William H. Rorer. He has more than 25 years of experience designing and analyzing research studies involving the effects of drugs on people, and has contributed to the preparation of numerous Investigational New Drug (IND) files and New Drug Applications (NDA) which have been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

How Did Dr. Benjamin Start Working With Lawyers?

While conducting clinical research in the pharmaceutical industry from 1973-1986, company lawyers began consulting with him on the scientific and regulatory aspects of their drug product liability cases. Working with lawyers provided Dr. Benjamin with a new area to apply his knowledge of clinical pharmacology and the drug development process.

In 1986, Dr. Benjamin resigned his position as Director, Clinical Research at William H. Rorer Pharmaceutical Company and began offering Educational, Legal Medicine and Risk Management onsulting services to healthcare, insurance and legal professionals.

Mediation, Arbitration and Conflict Resolution

In 1993, Dr. Benjamin completed training as an arbitrator, and was admitted to the National Health Lawyers Association (NHLA) Dispute Resolution Service. In 1996 he completed training as a mediator, and in 1997, Dr. Benjamin completed a program at the Harvard School of Public Health in Negotiation and Conflict Resolution in Healthcare.

Risk Management Consulting Services

Dr. Benjamin offers educational Risk Management programs to hospitals, physicians, nurses, pharmacists and other healthcare professionals.These programs/seminars teach the judicious use of medications, and help raise the professional’s consciousness about medication prescribing, dispensing and administration errors.

Presentations and Publications

Dr. Benjamin is a prolific author and educator. He has over 200 presentations and publications to his credit and has been a frequent speaker on Reducing Medication Errors, Risk Management, Forensic Toxicology and Legal Medicine at professional meetings and conferences including: the American Board of Quality Assurance & Utilization Review Physicians (ABQAURP), the American College of Clinical Pharmacology, the American College of Legal Medicine, the American Society for Healthcare Risk Management, the American Academy of Forensic Sciences, and the Harvard Medical School Risk Management Program.

Brief Biography

Academic


Boston University, B.A. in Biological Sciences, 1968

University of Vermont College of Medicine, M.S. & Ph.D. in Pharmacology, 1968-72

Kansas University Medical Center, Fellowship, Clinical Pharmacology/Toxicology, 1972-3

Work Experience in the Pharmaceutical Industry

Dr. Benjamin has twelve years of experience in the Pharmaceutical Industry: Conducting Clinical Drug Studies, Evaluating Adverse Drug Reactions, Writing Labeling, and Filing INDs and NDAs with the FDA.

Publications

Dr. Benjamin has more than 200 Presentations and Publications listed on his full CV, including a book chapter entitled "Forensic Pharmacology" in Forensic Science Handbook Volume III. This textbook was reviewed by the Journal of Forensic Sciences and described as follows: “This third volume follows what has become a tradition of in depth chapters written by recognized forensic experts . . . . Forensic science practitioners and attorneys who interact with them, in either the criminal or civil areas, will find this collection of learned treatises a required addition to their professional library.”

Teaching Experience

Boston University School of Medicine, Adjunct Assistant Professor, Biomedical Forensic Sciences Program, Forensic Toxicology, 2006 - Present.

Tufts Medical School - Legal Medicine, Reducing Medication Errors, Clinical Pharmacology, Psychopharmacology, Forensic Pharmacology, Scientific Writing and the Scientific Method - 1994 to 2001; Adjunct Assistant Professor -2001-05;

Tufts Health Care Institute – Grant writing and teaching (2001-2005)

Harvard Medical School Risk Management Program, Legal Medicine & Reducing Medication Errors 1999 to 2006;

Northeastern University School of Pharmacy (2005-2006)

George Washington University Law School - Scientific Evidence - 1999-2005

Harvard School of Public Health - Occupational Health & Toxic Chemical Exposures; Update on Daubert v. Merrell Dow Pharmaceuticals, Federal Rules of Evidence and Civil Procedures 1995-06;

Massachusetts College of Pharmacy & Allied Health Sciences, Adjunct Associate Professor of Regulatory Affairs & Health Policy - 1999 - 2000;

Stetson University College of Law - Medical Jurisprudence Course -1990, 1997-01;

Fordham Law School - Food and Drug Law and Public Policy Issues - April 1994-5;

Federal Bureau of Investigation;

United States Secret Service;

Harvard Medical School - Risk Management Seminar: Are You at Risk?- January 1995;

ABA/NHTSA Seminar for Judges - Breathalyzer and Blood Alcohol, Field Sobriety Testing, Urine Drug Screening and Drug Recognition Testing - April 30, 1999;

Traffic Adjudication Seminar for Florida Judges - Understanding Breathalyzer Testing & Alcohol Toxicology - 1999 to 2006;

Traffic Law Enforcement Conference for Kentucky Judges - Pharmacology & Toxicology of Ethanol, Breathalyzer Testing; Urine and Blood Drug Testing; Field Sobriety Testing – April 4, 2005.

Massachusetts Academy of Trial Attorneys - Operating Under the Influence Seminar - October 1994;

Massachusetts Continuing Legal Education - OUI - 2/13/96; Liquor Liability 1996, 1998 & 2006

Massachusetts Continuing Legal Education - Understanding the Analysis of Blood and Urine Samples for Drug Abuse -1994/95;

Conference of the American Association of Legal Nurse Consultants - The Interface of Drug Product Liability and Medical Malpractice - May 1995;

ATLA's National College of Advocacy - Paralegal Program - Statistics, Science and Using the Medical Literature - June 1995;

American College of Clinical Pharmacology, Chair, Education Committee, 2000 to 2004; Chair, Teaching Forum, 2000 to 2004; .

American Board of Quality Assurance and Utilization Review Physicians – Risk Management; Reducing Medication Errors.

American Academy of Forensic Sciences – Forensic Sciences; Interpreting Drug Blood Levels; Scientific Evidence, Daubert and Frye, Federal Rules of Evidence and Civil Procedure, and many more topics.

American College of Legal Medicine – Risk Management Strategies for Reducing Medication Errors; Removal of Drugs from the Market; Direct-to-Consumer Advertising and the Learned Intermediary Doctrine (2006).

American Association of Legal Nurse Consultants – Ethanol Toxicology, Removal of Drugs from the Market, and Forensic Toxicology for LNCs, 2005; 2006

Dr. Benjamin has Consulted to the Following Clients

Massachusetts Board of Registration in Medicine

Guest Reviewer – Journal of Clinical Psychopharmacology

Medical Review Officer’s Newsletter

St. Paul Insurance Company

Farmer’s Insurance Company, Prior member, National Board of Medical Experts

Princeton Insurance Company

Massachusetts Pro-Mutual Insurance Company

Massachusetts Committee for Public Counsel Services

New Hampshire Public Defender

Various Hospitals requesting Risk Management Services or Risk Assessments

Professional Organizations

(Short List)

Fellow, American Academy of Forensic Sciences (Toxicology Section)

Fellow, American Society for Healthcare Risk Management

Fellow, American College of Clinical Pharmacology

Fellow, American College of Legal Medicine

American College of Clinical Pharmacology, Board of Regents, 2000-2005;

Chair, Education Committee, & Chair, Teaching Forum, 2000-2004.

Editorial Board, J. Clinical Pharmacology 2000-2005

American College of Legal Medicine; Chair, Poster Sessions 2003-2006

Fellow, American Academy of Forensic Sciences (Toxicology Section);

Member, AAFS/Society of Forensic Toxicologists (SOFT) joint committee on Drugs & Driving;

Prior Member, FBI/AAFS/SOFT joint committee on Drug-Facilitated Substance Abuse (i.e., Date Rape)

Fellow, American Society for Healthcare Risk Management; Head, Medication Error Reduction Task Force - 2001;

Editorial Board, Journal of Healthcare Risk Management 1998 - Present;

Member:

American Society for Clinical Pharmacology & Therapeutics;

American Academy of Clinical Toxicology;

Society of Forensic Toxicologists (SOFT)

CONTACT INFORMATION

David M. Benjamin, Ph.D.

77 Florence Street
Suite 107
Chestnut Hill, MA 02467

Telephone: 617-969-1393
Fax: 617-969-4285

send e-mail to Dr. Benjamin

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