As we celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Drug and Therapeutics Bulletin (DTB), we can perhaps be forgiven for reflecting on a distinguished, sometimes controversial history, while also considering the future for DTB and independent drug bulletins.

When the first issue appeared on 20 April 1962, branded as “The Medical Letter – a non-profit making publication on drugs and therapeutics – British Edition” it was clearly a different world to today, although interestingly the first article reviewed two drugs that are still in use – morphine and pethidine.1

DTB's vision …