Grapefruit and Medication Can Be a Deadly Combination

Guest Bio: Dr. David Bailey, Phm, PhD

David Bailey completed undergraduate studies in Pharmacy and graduate studies in Pharmacology at the University of Toronto. During his undergraduate years, David was a track and field athlete, who was a member of 9 Canadian National Track and Field Teams represented Canada at the 1968 Summer Olympics in the men's 1,500 metres. He was the first Canadian to run the mile in less than 4 minutes in 1966 (3:59.1) and in 1967 (3:57.7), a Canadian record that lasted for more than 10 years. David won the bronze medal at the Pan American Games and the silver medal at the World University Games at the 1,500 metres in 1967. He was twice selected as the Canadian Universities Track and Field Athlete of Year (1965, 1967) and has been induced into the University of Toronto Sports Hall of Fame and Athletics Ontario Sports Hall of Fame as an athlete.

After post-doctoral training in Pharmacology at the University of Saskatchewan and drug development research for the pharmaceutical industry, he returned to academia in 1986. He is currently a Scientist at the Lawson Health Research Institute and Professor Emeritus at the Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry at Western University (formally known as University of Western Ontario) in London, Ontario, Canada.
Dr. Bailey was the recipient of the Senior Investigator Award from the Canadian Society for Clinical Pharmacology (2005). He was also co-recipient of the William B Abrams Award from the American Society for Clinical Pharmacology & Therapeutics for Geriatric Research (1999).

His research has focused on mechanistic and translational clinical pharmacological investigations related to drug interactions. His seminal publication of grapefruit – drug interactions (Lancet 1991; 337: 268-269) has received international recognition. Subsequently, hundreds of original research publications and reviews have been available on the topic.

In recent years, he has discovered another interaction in which grapefruit and other juices (orange, apple) can have the possibility of an opposite effect by distinctly diminishing the oral absorption of another set of drugs. The initial publication (2002) has also been very highly cited. The clinical concern in this case is loss of effectiveness of a medication, which is particularly relevant for drugs required to treat serious medical conditions.

Overall, his research has provided original and important scientific knowledge that has been extensively translated into improved clinical utilization of a wide range of medications.