Pharmacy, pharmaceutics and modern drug delivery.

Recent developments in the area of drug delivery are reviewed. Controlled delivery of drug substances (including controlled-release oral products, the Folkman-Long silastic device and membrane-medicated delivery systems) are discussed. The prodrug approach is illustrated by discussion of the esterification of epinephrine and the production of the dihydro form of 2-PAM (pro-2-PAM). It is suggested that the pharmacist study the release pattern of drug devices and the pharmaceutics of prodrugs in order to maintain his responsibility as the expert on drugs.