David Woods is a consultant pharmacist, educator and researcher with a background in medicines information, rational drug use, evidence-based practice, pharmaceutical education and pediatric clinical pharmacy. He is currently a freelance clinical pharmacist with the Best Practice Advocacy Centre, a consultant clinical pharmacist in chronic pain management, and a Professional Teaching Fellow at the School of Pharmacy, University of Auckland. He is also a research collaborator at the New Zealand Pharmacovigilance Centre, University of Otago, and a visiting academic internationally.
David has worked extensively in evidence-based medicine and rational drug use, contributing to educational and resource-development programs with organizations including WHO, USAID, UNICEF and Global Research in Pediatrics. He was integral to development of the New Zealand Formulary and New Zealand Formulary for Children and directed the introduction of the national drug formulary for Kazakhstan.
His current research interests include clinical pharmacoepidemiology, interprofessional education and medicines safety. He has contributed substantially to medicines optimization education, including the development of Auckland University’s online micro-credential on Medicines Optimization in Older People. He is a Fellow of the Pharmaceutical Society of New Zealand and Great Britain, the New Zealand Hospital Pharmacy Association and the Royal Geographical Society, and received the Pharmaceutical Society of New Zealand Gold Medal in 2025.