An authentic yet lighthearted take on the world of medicines and healthcare in the UK
The Aural Apothecary

The Aural Apothecary

An authentic yet lighthearted take on the world of medicines and healthcare in the UK from Jamie, Gimmo and Steve the Chemist

Recent Episodes

8.9 How to take Drugs with Professor Nick Barber
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May 28, 2026

8.9 How to take Drugs with Professor Nick Barber

Are your medicines actually working for you? We are joined by Professor Nick Barber — pharmacist, academic and author of the new book How to take Drugs — for a sharp, eye-opening conversation about why medicines so often fail in the real world
8.8 Biography Before Biology: Professor Sir Gregor Smith and Critical Connections
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May 7, 2026

8.8 Biography Before Biology: Professor Sir Gregor Smith and Critical Connections

Is healthcare becoming too much like a repair shop? In this episode, we are joined by Professor Sir Gregor Smith, Chief Medical Officer for Scotland, for a wide-ranging conversation on 10 years of Realistic Medicine
8.7 Dr Lena Frischlich - Seeing isn’t Believing - Medicines in the Age of Misinformation
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March 26, 2026

8.7 Dr Lena Frischlich - Seeing isn’t Believing - Medicines in the Age of Misinformation

We explore the challenging landscape of disinformation in healthcare with Associate Professor Dr. Lena Frischlich from the University of Southern Denmark
8.6 Anecdotes & Antidotes - 5 Years of Medicines and Memories
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Feb. 26, 2026

8.6 Anecdotes & Antidotes - 5 Years of Medicines and Memories

In this fifth anniversary special, hosted by Sarah Cripps , we reflect on five years of remarkable guests, powerful stories, and conversations that have reshaped how we think about medicines
8.5 There’s an App for That: Medicines in the Digital NHS with Rahul Singal
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Jan. 29, 2026

8.5 There’s an App for That: Medicines in the Digital NHS with Rahul Singal

In an era where “there’s an app for that” is increasingly the answer, we turn our attention to what digital transformation really means for medicines. Not just convenience and clicks, but safety, understanding, and how people actually experience care.
Live from Oxford with Professor Ben Goldacre - Bad Pharma, Good Data, Better Care
Jan. 15, 2026

Live from Oxford with Professor Ben Goldacre - Bad Pharma, Good Data, Better Care

In this special live episode with Prof Ben Goldacre The Aural Apothecary takes the stage at the Bennett Institute for Applied Data Science, hosted at Jesus College, Oxford University, as part of the Institute’s 10-year anniversary conference.
The Aural Apothecary Almanac 2025
Dec. 25, 2025

The Aural Apothecary Almanac 2025

In the festive, end-of-year episode, the Apothercaries are joined by the fourth and fifth apothecaries, Clare Howard and Jonathan Underhill and reflect on momentous moments in medicines alongside some personal reflections
8.4 Professor Alistair Boxall - From Prescription to Pollution: The Unseen Impact of Medicines in Our Waterways
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Nov. 27, 2025

8.4 Professor Alistair Boxall - From Prescription to Pollution: The Unseen Impact of Medicines in Our Waterways

What really happens to medicines after we swallow them? Where do they end up… and what exactly are we flushing away? Which medicines might we be taking —unknowingly—the next time we pour a glass of tap water?
8.3 Brian MacKenna - In God we Trust - All Others Must Bring Data
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Oct. 31, 2025

8.3 Brian MacKenna - In God we Trust - All Others Must Bring Data

Data - it’s mentioned in the new NHS 10 year Health Plan 178 times! As healthcare continues to evolve, the ability to turn data into insight — and insight into better prescribing — has never been more important
8.2 Dr Laurence Gray - The Dose Maketh the Poison
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Sept. 25, 2025

8.2 Dr Laurence Gray - The Dose Maketh the Poison

With Dr Laurence Gray we explore the vital topic of toxicity — from the dangers of medicines such as propranolol, to the principles of managing patients exposed to toxic substances, and the crucial role of healthcare professional education in reducing harm

Recent Blog Posts

The BNF: Each edition a new gold bar
May 10, 2025

The BNF: Each edition a new gold bar

I recently rescued an almost entire collection of the British National Formulary (BNF). The rescue was a close thing. The condemned collection wasn’t quite in the skip, but was pretty close. Poignantly, the rescue took place in Penarth, South …
The Contented Clinician Podcast
April 13, 2025

The Contented Clinician Podcast

  Find all podcast episodes here: https://ccpod.netlify.app/Keen listeners would have heard us talk about being privileged members of the RCGP Overdiagnosis / Overtreatment email group. So, we are proud to be one of a number of podca…
New Blockbuster: STC meets Professor Green !
Jan. 26, 2025

New Blockbuster: STC meets Professor Green !

I know what you are thinking … Did they meet in the billiard room, was there lead piping involved, and was Miss Scarlett there too??So, no, it was more exciting than that, it was for a BBC film about Polypharmacy and the benefits of medicat…

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