Professor Peter Stonier and Dr Stephen Lockhart awarded Fellowship of the Academy of Medical Sciences
Posted on: Wednesday 11 May 2022
Author: FPM
It is announced today that two longstanding Fellows of the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Medicine (FPM) are to be awarded the Fellowship of the Academy of Medical Sciences (AMS). Fellowship is a prestigious honour and recognises Professor Peter Stonier and Dr Stephen Lockhart’s contributions to medical science and the development of novel medicines.
Prof Stonier has had an illustrious track record as medical director and board member in both large pharmaceutical companies and the broader life sciences sector, but is best known for his tireless work on education and standard-setting for medicines’ development. His endeavours within FPM, with a small group of colleagues, has resulted in Pharmaceutical Medicine being granted medical specialty status in 2002 and the recognition of its training programmes and revalidation by the GMC.
Dr Lockhart has had an outstanding career leading vaccine research. His most recent role has been dominated by COVID-19 vaccine development. He spearheaded the clinical development of the novel Pfizer–BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine, Comirnaty(tozinameran), at record speed, with UK being the first country to approve the vaccine in December 2020.
The persistence and achievements of both these pharmaceutical physicians have made enormous contributions to public health and will continue to do so for years to come. FPM is extremely proud to have their achievements recognised by AMS. Professor Stonier and Dr Lockhart join a growing group of pharmaceutical physicians appointed FMedSci, highlighting the recognition of the specialty of Pharmaceutical Medicine and the vital role it plays in innovative research and in supporting the health of patients.
FMedSci is internationally known as a mark of esteem and achievement in medical science, and is recognised by research funders, journals, and higher education institutions, as well as by policymakers, the media, and the public. With its 1200 Fellows, AMS aims to advance biomedical and health research and its translation into benefits for society.
About Professor Stonier
Prof Peter Stonier has dedicated his professional life to the education and training of doctors working in pharmaceutical medicine. In 1989, Prof Stonier was a founding Fellow and Board member of the FPM. He was an inaugural member of the Education Committee, which sowed the seeds for the establishment of the specialty. In 1997, in recognition of his outstanding contribution in this area, he was elected to President.
During his presidency, Prof Stonier chaired the Taskforce on Specialist Training in Pharmaceutical Medicine, which developed the syllabus and training framework, laying the foundations for the approval by the UK General Medical Council (GMC) in 2002, of the specialty. Since then, Prof Stonier’s role has been as Director of Specialty Training for FPM, and the programme has continued to evolve and grow, with over 400 doctors now registered as a specialist in Pharmaceutical Medicine.
Prof Stonier also established the first MSc programme in pharmaceutical medicine at Surrey University. He is a Visiting Professor at King’s College London and has been external examiner for the Cardiff University Clinical Research MSc and Trinity College Dublin Pharmaceutical Medicine MSc. Prof Stonier was President of IFAPP from 1996 to 1998 and is a Global Fellow in Medicines Development.
About Dr Lockhart
Dr Stephen Lockhart is Vice President and Head of Europe and Asia-Pacific Vaccine Clinical Research and Development (VCRD) at Pfizer. He has worked on development of vaccines against meningitis, pneumococcal disease influenza, anthrax, and tuberculosis to name a few, as well as paediatric combination vaccines. He currently leads Pfizer’s clinical activities on various vaccines and initiated clinical development of the Pfizer/BioNTech mRNA COVID-19 vaccine.
Dr Lockhart is one of the very few pharmaceutical physicians who have led global vaccine research and development for over 20 years in large companies, such as Pfizer and Sanofi, but also in smaller biotechnology companies.
Dr Lockhart received a Diploma in Pharmaceutical Medicine, is a Member of the Royal College of Physicians UK (MRCP) and a Fellow of the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Medicine (FFPM). He has been an educational supervisor for specialty training and an appraiser for revalidation and has contributed to many FPM events and workstreams over the years.
