Colin Brewer: archives

This collection is uncatalogued. The following is an interim description which may be altered when detailed cataloguing takes place in future.

Records relating to Dr Colin Brewer’s career and work on adult psychiatry and addiction medicine, as well as relating to his other professional interests, including voluntary euthanasia, medically-assisted rational suicide, and abortion.

The collection comprises:

- Colin Brewer’s academic and medical off-prints and papers, as well as unpublished writings.

- Colin Brewer’s journalism, including open letters, columns, and articles for mainstream press, as well as regular columns for specialist audiences such as General Practitioner and World Medicine.

- Papers relating to Brewer’s books, including reviews, drafts and related documentation.

- Collected articles and press referencing Brewer and collected material on subjects of interest.

- Papers relating to GMC hearings re Stapleford Case, including witness statements, evidence, and testimonials.

- Correspondence and papers relating to CITA’s threats to sue Brewer for breach of their alleged patent.

- Correspondence and papers relating to Gooberman patent dispute for rapid opiate detox under anaesthesia and papers relating to other professional disputes.

- Papers and correspondence relating to Brewer’s involvement with Voluntary Euthanasia Society and related interests around rational suicide and voluntary / medically-assisted euthanasia.

- Papers relating to Brewer’s work for Stapleford Centre, including patient information and leaflets and correspondence.

- Papers relating to abortion activism and research.

1960s-2010s

7 boxes

Colin Brewer’s career has focused on adult psychiatry and addiction medicine, as well as abortion law reform, voluntary euthanasia and medically-assisted rational suicide.

Brewer was an early adopter of treatments such as naltrexone implants and was recognised as a pioneer in his use of methadone for heroin addiction and disulfiram (Antabuse) for alcoholism.

He founded the Stapleford Centre, one of the UK’s most well-known private drug treatment clinics.The Centre opened in 1987 to treat people addicted to heroin, alcohol, and other drugs. The Stapleford Centre developed a reputation for its liberal home detox approach, which was both a radical and controversial approach to managing drug addiction.

Brewer was struck off the medical register in 2006 after being found guilty by the General Medical Council of irresponsible prescribing practices for patients with addictions, leading to the death of one patient and the development of further addictions in others.

Brewer has maintained an active academic and media profile, writing regular columns and appearing in the mainstream press to advocate his views on a range of medical and social issues, ranging from drug addiction and treatment, to abortion, euthanasia, obesity, alternative medicine and sport related brain injuries.

Brewer is now retired, but still speaks at conferences and writes regularly. [information correct as of Dec 2024].

Transferred to Wellcome.

This collection is currently uncatalogued and cannot be ordered online. Requests to view uncatalogued material are considered on a case by case basis. Please contact collections@wellcomecollection.org for more details.