Seminar Therapeutic 4: Team challenges in cancer: from cytotoxics to supportive care

Abstract:

Oncology pharmacy is and will be a key area for hospitals pharmacists. Cancer is a growing concern in Europe, and pharmacotherapy in this area is frequently in the danger zone for narrow therapeutic margin.

Cytotoxic drugs are prepared or dispensed in hospital pharmacy, and a medication error in this area may mean death or severe impairment for the patient. Hospital pharmacists have to validate prescriptions, and work together with doctors and nurses to improve the safety of patients.

Another issue in cancer patients is supportive care. When treating the cancer is no longer possible, there is a time to treat the patient, when pain must be controlled and the dignity of the patient preserved. Also in this setting there is a place for the hospital pharmacist in the healthcare team.

In this seminar we will consider both cytotoxics and supportive care of cancer patients, and bring the input both from pharmacists and physicians, as to how the multidisciplinary team can work for the better care of the patient.

Teaching Goals:

• summarize the key points of the intervention of hospital pharmacists in the area of cytotoxic therapy.
• present the intervention of the pharmacists in supportive care of cancer patients
• present the physician’s viewpoint on the added value and drawbacks of hospital pharmacist intervention in the pharmacotherapy of cancer patients.

Learning Objectives:

After the presentation the participants should be able to:

• describe the key points of the intervention of hospital pharmacists in the area of cytotoxic therapy.
• understand the role of hospital pharmacists in supportive care, and bring home ideas on how to start or improve work in this area.
• have a picture of what oncologists expect from hospital pharmacist, in order to improve their abilities to participate in the healthcare team.