The unusual suspects

I read Derek Lowe’s column every month and normally enjoy his observations on the world of medicinal chemistry, but his article ‘The usual suspects’ cannot go unchallenged.

He states: ‘There’s cisplatin for the entire set of metals, and that’s about that.’ Has he never heard of anaemia and drugs such as ferrous sulfate and ferrous gluconate which contain Fe²⁺ as the active ion?

He further states that phosphorus is in big osteoporosis drugs, but fails to mention the important anticancer agent, cyclophosphamide, which most certainly contains a P atom.

He also neglects boric acid in eye drops (the only acid you can safely put in your eye).

Sorry Derek. This piece isn’t up to your usual high standard.

D Cairns CChem FRSC
Robert Gordon University, UK