Improving Patient Involvement in Medicines Research and Development:: A Practical Roadmap.

The value of patient involvement (PI) in medicines research and development (R&D) is increasingly recognized by all health stakeholders. Despite numerous ongoing PI initiatives, PI so far lacks structure and consistency in approach. Limited formal documentation of PI activities further hampers the sharing of experience and learnings, preventing timely and systematic implementation.

Management of oral mucositis at European transplantation centres.

Oral mucositis (OM), which occurs in many patients with hematologic malignancies treated with high-dose therapy and stem cell transplantation, is associated with substantial clinical, economic, and quality-of-life (QOL) consequences. It has been associated with an increased need for total parenteral nutrition and opioid analgesics, prolonged hospital stays, and increased risk of infection. The research subgroup of the European Group for Blood and Marrow Transplantation Nurses Group surveyed nurses at transplantation centres for their thoughts about the clinical, QOL, and economic consequences of OM; tools for assessing OM; strategies for preventing and treating OM; and the need for the development and implementation of treatment guidelines.

Ensuring accurate oral mucositis assessment in the European Group for Blood and Marrow Transplantation Prospective Oral Mucositis Audit.

Oral mucositis (OM) has substantial negative clinical, quality-of-life, and economic consequences for patients with haematologic malignancies who require myeloablative chemotherapy or radiotherapy. Uniform training in OM assessment is infrequent in clinical practice, so the true incidence and duration of OM are unknown. Nurses and physicians from the European Group for Blood and Marrow Transplantation recently undertook an audit of 214 patients (197 evaluable patients) treated at 25 centres, the Prospective Oral Mucositis Audit (POMA), to determine the incidence, severity, and duration of OM.

Knowledge of haematological toxicities amongst European nurses--a learning needs assessment.

Haematological toxicities such as neutropenia, anaemia and thrombocytopenia have a significant impact on patients with cancer. They can have a life-threatening effect on the health of the patient and, importantly, may lead to the interruption and/or dose reduction of ongoing cancer therapies, such as chemotherapy. Nurses play a pivotal role in haematological toxicity prevention, detection and management, however, the current level of involvement and understanding varies widely across Europe.