Valediction: Ruth Sutherland

In 2024 Australian Prescriber farewelled Dr Ruth Sutherland as a member of the Editorial Advisory Committee. Ruth joined the Committee in 2018 and 3 years later became Chair – the first general practitioner to hold this position.

During her tenure as Chair, Ruth steered the Committee through challenging circumstances, including the COVID-19 pandemic and the closure of the journal’s previous publisher, NPS MedicineWise, and the subsequent transition of Australian Prescriber to Therapeutic Guidelines Limited. During this period of change, Ruth provided significant support to the new editorial team, particularly in relation to reconvening the Committee and restarting the content pipeline under the new publisher.

Ruth brought a much-valued practical and pragmatic lens to article reviews, with a particular focus on the needs of doctors in training from her background in health professional education. She supported reforms to the Committee’s editorial processes, including fast-tracking the review of articles during the pandemic.

The Editorial Advisory Committee thanks Ruth for her indelible contributions to Australian Prescriber and wishes her well for the future.