Oral Antineoplastic Drugs – the role Community Pharmacists play in facilitating safe and effective use — ASN Events
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Oral Antineoplastic Drugs – the role Community Pharmacists play in facilitating safe and effective use (#159)

Aisling Kelly 1 , Erica Wales 2 , Sarah Tomkins 1 , Lydia Loke 1 , Aimee Kim 1 , Liesel Byrne 1 , Shelley Rushton 1
  1. Cancer Institute NSW, Eveleigh, NSW, Australia
  2. Oncology Pharmacy, Wollongong Hospital, Wollongong , NSW, Australia

Aims
To educate community pharmacists regarding oral antineoplastic drugs, to facilitate safe and effective use, reduce medication errors and avoid preventable adverse effects.

Method
• A literature review was conducted and consultation sought from both community pharmacy and professional organisations.1
• Feedback identified the need for standardised education, to enable community pharmacists to engage with cancer patients in a more meaningful way, through improved knowledge and enhanced patient counselling.
• Six learning activities were identified
• A rigorous governance and evaluation process was established to support the development of each learning activity, which included consultation with an external Clinical Advisory Committee.
• A dissemination and implementation strategy was developed in parallel.


Results
Consultation with the expert Clinical Advisory Committee and review of the literature identified community pharmacists lack a solid understanding of oral antineoplastics and are poorly equipped to play a major role in ensuring their appropriate use. 2

An interactive online learning module encompassing six learning activities was developed. Activities developed:
• General Principles in Cancer Treatment
• Handling Oral Antineoplastic Drugs and Related Wastes
• Oral Antineoplastic Prescriptions and Protocols
• Adverse Effects and Supportive Therapies
• Drug Interactions
• Patient Education
Each activity provides a background and education component including examples through case studies followed by specific questions relating to the topic. On completion, assessment questions are provided to qualify for Group 2 continuing professional development credits to meet accredited pharmacists requirements.

Conclusions
Community Pharmacists are uniquely placed to provide patients with education regarding oral antineoplastic drugs. Evaluation of survey results post implementation will determine if these modules help to support community pharmacists’ confidence and knowledge of oral antineoplastic drugs, to safely dispense and properly counsel patients receiving oral antineoplastics chemotherapy.

  1. NSW Therapeutic Advisory Group (TAG) , Society of Hospital Pharmacist Australia (SHPA), The Pharmacy Guild of Australia, NPS MedicineWise, Pharmacy Society of Australia (PSA)SA, Clinical Oncology Society of Australia, Cancer Pharmacists Group (CPG)
  2. Abbott R et al. Are community pharmacists equipped to ensure the safe use of oral anticancer therapy in the community setting? Results of a cross-country survey of community pharmacists in Canada. Int J Clin Pharm. 2015 Jun;37(3):465-70.
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