SN2: Targeted medicines in hospital pharmacy: one problem-two views?

ACPE UPN: 0475-0000-14-006-L04-P. A knowledge based activity.

Abstract:

There is no doubt that the principle of targeted drugs can bring therapy a big step forward. However there are many preconditions for and problems with targeted therapies. First of all researchers have to find targets which in most cases means biomarkers. Many diseases show specific biomarkers to be targeted by these medicines. The question always is if the disease only has one or a few targets, and if these targets are focused on disease is the disease significantly influenced as desired. In the seminar the speakers will give an overview over recent findings and study results in the field of new drugs for targeted therapy.　

And there is another point of interest when discussing targeted drug therapy: the economic side of innovation. Are those drugs worth their costs? If asking such a question to general society the answer will perhaps be a clear "yes", but this question should be posed to health economics or pharmacoeconomics experts. To answer this it has to be discussed critically if these new drugs show a crucial benefit to patients. Also any benefits need to be highlighted and if those benefits are proven by clinical studies and then shown also in real life populations.　

The speakers will show from their viewpoint as hospital pharmacists engaged in cytotoxic reconstitution which problems they see, how they solved them and how they are finally dealing with new targeted drugs.

Teaching Goals:

• to name and classify the practical problems with the new "Targeted Drugs" in hospital pharmacy,
• to outline the arguments for putting those drugs in the formulary of a hospital,
• to describe the steps in hospital and hospital pharmacy to make those drugs available for the patients in need.

Learning Objectives: 

After the presentation the participant should be able:

• to discuss the pros and cons of the new targeted therapies,
• to avoid getting lost in discussions of formulary committees regarding the targeted medicines,
• to classify the different arguments of pharmaceutical industry and patient needs in therapy with those drugs.