Statutory Committee

Tributes paid to Mohamed Aslam

Tributes were paid to the late Mohamed Aslam (PJ, 17 May, p704) at the May meeting of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society's Statutory Committee. Dr Aslam, who was director of clinical pharmacy at the University of Nottingham, had been a member of the committee since 1994.

Before beginning the first hearing on 6 May, the CHAIRMAN, Lord Fraser of Carmyllie, QC, said that Dr Aslam had been appointed to the committee in July 1994 and reappointed in July 1999. He had had a long and distinguished career in pharmacy, first in community and hospital pharmacy, but latterly achieving his greatest distinction as director of clinical pharmacy at Nottingham University. He had a PhD for research into health care practices among the Asian community in Britain and an LLM in medical law from the University of Wales.

He had played an active role in the development of clinical pharmacy. He had lectured extensively throughout the world and made detailed studies of overseas pharmacy practice. He had had something like 90 publications in various scientific journals.

The Statutory Committee would sorely miss his participation and his wise counsel, particularly on matters relating to education and continuing education. Dr Aslam had always made an outstanding contribution and the Chairman had no doubt that the rest of the committee would join him in sending condolences to Dr Aslam's family and to his academic colleagues.

DAVID AARONBERG, of counsel, asked if he might add a word on behalf of the Bar and those firms of solicitors that regularly appeared before the committee. During Mr Aaronberg's own appearances over some 15 years, Dr Aslam's words had on many occasions shown his humanity and compassion. Pharmacists who had appeared before the committee had often been comforted by the guidance that had come in the form of his comments and questions. It had been evident in the committee's decisions that often those questions had set the path, as it were, to the ultimate decision in the case. He would be sorely missed indeed.

On the following day, solicitor DAVID REISSNER, who has represented pharmacists before the committee for many years, said that Dr Aslam would be greatly missed by all on the committee and by those who had appeared regularly before it. At the time of Dr Aslam's appointment, it had seemed likely that it was considered important to have a member from an Asian ethnic background, but there was plainly no question of tokenism in Dr Aslam's membership of the committee. He was a distinguished academic and rather than being seen as the committee's Asian member he might perhaps have been seen as its academic member. His academic interest had often come across not just in the inquiries but also in his great interest in the students who observed the committee's proceedings. He had always taken time to chat to the students and had obviously greatly enjoyed doing that.

Despite his health problems he had always seemed to enjoy his work on the committee. He also attached huge importance to it. He always showed great humanity towards those who appeared before the committee. If he thought that someone when giving evidence was not doing themselves justice, he was always eager, in a sympathetic and gentle way, to give them an opportunity to explain themselves.

Another abiding memory was that, despite his health problems, Dr Aslam would often have a smile on his face. It was still there the last time Mr Reissner saw Dr Aslam at the committee. He would be greatly missed.