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The idea for a Western Pharmacology Society began in Carmel California in 1956 and the Society was officially established in 1957 by James Dilley. Dilley and a small group of founders met in Carmel in 1957 and agreed that the Society would be a regional one drawing members from west of the Rocky Mountains and would include British Columbia. The first scientific meeting was held in San Francisco in January 1958 and the first Proceedings was published that same year. The Society thus has a long and distinguished history drawing to its Presidency some of the best pharmacologists of their time. A hallmark of the Society since its inception has been the importance of young pharmacologists in training. The Society goes out of its way to support students financially to attend the annual meetings and organizes poster sessions as opportunities for students to receive feedback from members in an informal setting. Meeting venues have traditionally alternated from warm climes to snowy ones to allow attendees to enjoy their time in recreational settings. Since the early years, the membership of the Society has remained rather small and has never seen itself in competition with the American Society of Pharmacology and Therapeutics or the Canadian or Mexican Societies. One of the most significant changes in the make-up of the Society in the last two decades has been the tremendous contributions from Mexican Pharmacologists. We now regularly rotate the presidency among the US, Canada and Mexico. Many of the annual meetings have attracted participants from around the world and there are currently fifteen countries represented by our members. On this web site, you will find links to our upcoming meeting, a page that allows members to pay their annual dues (currently $35); the contents of the roceedings on line as well as an authors page. Please consider joining us. You will find information on a link to the left. 
Iain L.O. Buxton
WPS Editor-Treasurer |
