This is a discussion paper on research in clinical pharmacology in the field of psychiatry. In addition to other factors the decline in discovery and development of new drugs in the field of psychiatry and the developments and growing complexity in the field of clinical trial technology, including outsourcing and risk based monitoring, reduced the number of young clinical researchers interested in this important field. The challenges posed by the restructuring within the pharmacological industry - including digitalization - should induce changes in the structure and in the processes of clinical pharmacology research and in the training of clinical research staff members. The approval of esketamine nasal spray for treatment resistant depression by the FDA and the results of research with psychedelics call for more education and training in this specific field.