NCCN Oncology Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategies White Paper: Recommendations for Stakeholders.

REMS are a particularly important issue for oncology and the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN). A disproportionate number of drugs with complex REMS are used in patients with cancer or hematologic disorders. REMS policies and processes within oncology may act as a model for other clinical areas.

NCCN Task Force Report: Specialty Pharmacy.

The use of specialty pharmacies is expanding in oncology pharmacy practice. Specialty pharmacies provide a channel for distributing drugs that, from the payor perspective, creates economies of scale and streamlines the delivery of expensive drugs. Proposed goals of specialty pharmacy include optimization of pharmaceutical care outcomes through ensuring appropriate medication use and maximizing adherence, and optimization of economic outcomes through avoiding unwarranted drug expenditure.

The role of specialty pharmacy in the treatment of myelodysplastic syndromes.

Specialty Pharmacy plays an integral role in the delivery and management of biologic and chemotherapeutic medications for patients with higher-risk MDS by streamlining the delivery process, educating patients, monitoring treatment adherence and response, managing complex storage and delivery requirements, and assisting both patients and payers with clinical, operational, and financial issues and challenges. Specialty Pharmacy will continue to develop procedures to assist clinicians and patients, maximizing access to pharmacy and clinical advisors who are able to explain medical diagnoses to patients, walk them through medication options, and describe the specific details of therapeutic regimens. Where the use of specialty pharmaceuticals poses challenges of inventory, sourcing, complex treatment regimens, patient adherence, and slow reimbursement, Specialty Pharmacy has designed standardized processes to address these needs and will continue to improve and increases its services to support vital business and clinical functions for patients, health care plans, and providers.

NCCN Task Force Report: Oral chemotherapy.

Oral chemotherapy is emerging as a new option for well-selected patients who can manage potentially complex oral regimens and self-monitor for potential complications. If a choice between oral and parenteral therapy is available, patients may opt for oral chemotherapy because it is more convenient to administer, allows them to avoid multiple office visits, and gives them a sense of control over their own cancer care. Whether these potential advantages are maintained in regimens that combine oral and parenteral drugs is less clear.