Journal of Blood Disorders & Transfusion

Timely strategies by oncology pharmacist to combat drug shortages

4^th International Conference on Blood Malignancies & Treatment

April 18-19, 2016 Dubai, UAE

Naureen Wajid

American Hospital Dubai, UAE

Scientific Tracks Abstracts: J Blood Disord Transfus

Abstract:

The supply of chemotherapeutic agents remain sporadic and can lead to serious health problems, forcing treatment changes, delay in treatment, higher cost of substitutes, etc. This study will focus the role of Oncology Pharmacist in developing some timely strategies to combat drug shortages. Medicines are the essential part of patient care. In hospital set up, they must be administered in a timely manner. This is worth concern if the medicine is chemotherapeutic agent. To ensure continuous supply of medicine, oncology pharmacist needs to divert his attention from dispensing right drug, right patient, right dose, right route and right time towards substitutes, dose - reduction , availability in other health care institutes, compounding, etc. Last 2 month data of Oncology Pharmacy in AHD shows that, 20 items were short in December 2015 & 12 items in January 2016. These recommendations can serve as a better tool to manage the drug shortages. In 2001, ASHP provides guidelines for managing drug shortages. By adding some more points in these guidelines, we adopt following strategies: In AHD Oncology Pharmacy, we proposed to change the medicines procurement process as 1) Registered Medicines 2) Un-registered Medicines (check MOH Guidelines). The procurement process of registered medicines is quick but for un-registered medicines, it takes 2-3 months and sometimes even longer. To tackle this, we proposed to stock the registered medicines for 3 months and un-registered medicines for 1 year. Determine the key person among the pharmacy team for Registered and Unregistered Medicine to update on drug shortage e.g., Pharmacy Purchase Executive. Once the shortage is identified, the key person should call the manufacturer for more details about shortage and its estimated duration. He should utilize his contacts of wholesalers and purchasing groups to get more information. You have to count your on hand inventory and estimate how long it will last. Format the standard process to identify the therapeutic equivalent alternative. Make sure that any decision made about the alternative are in collaboration with medical, nursing & pharmacy representative as well as any other specialty which may use the product. Involve Pharmacy & Therapeutic Committee as appropriate. Plan & prioritize the patient accordingly e.g., patients who are allergic, whom we cannot use alternatives. Put limits on short-medicine e.g., for external organizations, etc. Use effective means to communicate e.g., Monthly staff meeting, Pharmacy Newsletter, Pharmacy & Therapeutic Committee meeting, etc. Oncology Pharmacist should inform about the drug shortage to the Prescribers, Nursing staff, Patient and their family members, its estimated duration, alternative therapy, cost etc. to ensure patient safety and to avoid medication errors. Intended Outcomes: �?� To minimize drug shortages. �?� Introduction of better & efficient procurement process. �?� To minimize medication errors by effective communication and planning.

Biography :

Naureen Wajid is working as an Oncology Pharmacist in American Hospital Dubai. She is actively engaged in all aspects of Cancer care from chemotherapy dose preparation and safety checks to patient education. She earned her BS in Pharmacy from University of Karachi, Pakistan. Her 15 years pharmacy experience includes Oncology, Clinical Pharmacy, TPN and in-house compounding.

Email: naureenwajid786@gmail.com