Concerns and Imperatives

In Chapter 1 we discussed the four competitive imperatives that the design chemist must consider as a vehicle is developed performance, mass, cost, and environmental considerations. All four must be considered as a vehicle is developed. 

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Make time available to workers so you ean meet, unhurried, and without interruptions and, actively listen to what people say. It is imperative to know the workers and by all means find out if it they have eaieer aspirations of which you are not aware. It is important for supervisors to listen to the concerns and complaints of workers. 

More recently, the bottleneck of drug research has shifted from hit-and-lead discovery to lead optimization, and more specifically to PK lead optimization. Some major reasons are (i) the imperative to reduce as much as feasible the extremely costly rate of attrition prevailing in preclinical and clinical phases, and (ii) more stringent concerns for safety. The testing of ADME properties is now done much earlier, i.e. before a decision is taken to evaluate a compound in the clinic. 

Human factors and ergonomics concern the ability of personnel to perform their job functions within the physical and mental capabilities or limitations of a human being. Human beings have certain tolerances and personal attitudes. Tolerances can be related to the ability to accept information, how quickly the information can be understood and the ability and speed to perform manual activities. When information is confusing, lacking or overtaxing, the ability to understand and act upon it quickly or effectively is absent. It is therefore imperative to provide concise, adequate and only pertinent information to do all the tasks associated with petroleum activities. This includes activities associated with emergency fire and explosion protection measures. 

A second recommendation is that the ACS spell out that part of one s professionalism is mandatory disclosure of information about toxic and harmful effects of new or currently used chemicals. It is not enough for a scientist simply to know certain information which is of societal concern. It is imperative that the information go beyond company files and scientific journals and enter the domain of public interest. The art of delivering this information may at times have to include whistleblowing. 

Sleep is another concern during maintenance therapy. As we noted in the discussion of acute phase treatment, sleep deprivation can destabilize mood and is often the first sign of an impending episode of illness. Therefore, it remains imperative that the patient sleeps well. It is common practice for patients to keep a small supply of a hypnotic agent such as zolpidem or a benzodiazepine to use as needed in the event of sleep disturbance. Furthermore, patients should routinely be advised to notify their physician should they have two or more consecutive nights of poor sleep so that more aggressive measures can be taken to circumvent the possible development of an illness episode. 

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