The Pharmaceutical Journal Vol 265 No 7113 p359
September 9, 2000 The Society

Tribute to "outstanding" PJ editor

Mr Douglas Simpson's editorship of The Pharmaceutical Journal over the past 13 years had been outstanding, said his predecessor in the job, Mr Robert Blyth, at a ceremony on September 1 to mark Mr Simpson's retirement. Mr Blyth (editor, 1961-86) said that good editors were born, not made. They had flair. Douglas Simpson had such flair. His journalistic abilities had served the PJ, and pharmacy, well over the 35 years since he had joined The Journal in 1965. Douglas had been able to exercise that ability in an atmosphere of freedom. Sadly, as he left, there was a fear that that freedom, which had been often threatened, might be under fresh attack by a group set up by the Council to map out a new direction for The Journal. It was to be hoped that it was not a downward direction, that the fears were groundless and that the present Council would not disregard the wisdom of its predecessors. A further hope was that the Council would ensure, in the measured and memorable words of a Victorian editor of The Journal, Horatio Paul, that "although the organ, [The Journal] must not sink into the mere tool of the Council". That quote was from the first leading article when the PJ had become weekly on July 2, 1870 - just over 130 years ago. Noting that the past few years had seen a lingering threat to the status within the Society of the PJ and its editor, Mr Blyth paid tribute to Mr Simpson's courageous fight to maintain the status quo and against the Society's lapse into "BBC Birtism". But such diversions from one's real work were draining and demoralising, and it was no wonder that Douglas had decided to call it a day. It was to be hoped that his successors would be as tenacious as he had been in defending the status of The Journal.

Robert Blyth (left) presents Douglas Simpson with his gift from the Society's staff

During his editorship, Douglas had successfully embraced the information technology revolution as it had affected periodicals. He had not only expanded the content of The Journal but had launched a remarkable number of highly successful new "niche" publications under the PJ banner. And his role in such notable events as the Pharmaceutical Care Awards should not be forgotten.
Mr Blyth concluded: "Finally, let us congratulate Douglas upon his release from the unrelenting treadmill of weekly journalism and wish him every happiness in his new found freedom, and express the hope that he and Janet will enjoy a long and happy and fulfilling retirement."
Responding, Mr Simpson paid tribute to the support he had had from his wife and from PJ staff, including the advertising staff and those who had moved on. He saw the Society's headquarters as a group of "villages" covering specific activities - such as law, education, the library, personnel and finance. Throughout his editorship he had enjoyed good relations with all the "villages". He had also always done his best to support editorial workers generally within the building, such as those in the Martindale and British National Formulary "villages".
Commenting on the task force that was to examine how the editor's job should be done, Mr Simpson expressed the hope that it would not devise a detailed prescription and then seek an editor to fill it. That would be the role of a technician, not of the editor of the PJ. His advice would be to find a strong editor and let him or her get on with the job. "If they're not doing a satisfactory job, sack them."
The members regarded The Journal as their journal - which it was - and they wanted to be able to express their points of view in it. He had done his best to meet their wishes. Mr Simpson added: "We may not always like members' views. So be it! They have the High Court on their side. Ruling in favour of free speech, Lord Justice Sedley said in the High Court: ‘The irritating, the contentious, the heretical, the unwelcome and provocative have a right to be heard.' "
Mr Simpson was then presented with a silver enamelled antique inkwell, the gift of the Society's headquarters staff.