The BMJ carries an obituary of Professor Bill Inman:
Following the launch of the first generation of contraceptive pills in the 1960s, Inman recognised that they caused fatal thromboses. He designed studies that showed that the risk could be minimised by lowering the dose of oestrogen, without the loss of contraceptive effect. He also showed that the anaesthetic halothane could cause liver damage in certain circumstances.
One of Inman’s chief concerns was that the links between government and industry were too close. When at the Department of Health he was warned that if he didn’t change his attitude he would miss the knighthood that would otherwise be his, he reputedly responded, “Well, bugger that.”
A colleague and I point out two errors regarding the Yellow Card scheme contained in the obituary.
Dr Bill Inman’s other obituary was in The Daily Telegraph.