Oncology pharmacist: Role and expectations

4^th World Congress on Cancer Science & Therapy

October 20-22, 2014 DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Chicago-North Shore Conference Center, USA

Osama M Al-Quteimat

Scientific Tracks Abstracts: J Cancer Sci Ther

Abstract :

The oncology clinical pharmacist has a crucial role in cancer patient care through improving medication use including chemotherapy and other high alert medications. As part of multidisciplinary team clinical pharmacist has major role in assuring safe, effective and cost-effective drug therapy. Role of the oncology clinical pharmacist is mainly to identify, prevent and manage any drug related problem including drug choice, dosage, interactions, administration and side effects. Since it requires specialized knowledge ??oncology pharmacy?? has became a new pharmaceutical discipline with its own curriculum. Consequently the International Society for Oncology Pharmacy Practitioners (ISOPP) was founded in 1995. Oncology pharmacists are actively engaged in all aspects of cancer care; from chemotherapy preparation to patient education and counseling, to drug development research. Education, training and certification are important factors to prepare the pharmacist to undertake the responsibility as cancer care provider. Currently there are more than 1600 board certified oncology pharmacists worldwide working in different levels of patient care. Specialized ASHP-accredited oncology pharmacy residency programs can greatly improved the knowledge, skills and practice of oncology pharmacist. Oncology pharmacists can play a great role in developing supportive care guidelines for the management of chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting, myelosuppression, infusion and hypersensitivity reactions, epidermal growth factor receptor?inhibitor skin toxicities, and vascular endothelial growth factor?inhibitor hypertension. They also can participate as an investigator on numerous clinical trials involving medication use in care of patients with cancer. Current literature shows that oncology clinical pharmacist was very effective in optimizing medication use and has a promising role through providing clinically important interventions regarding medication use. Oncology pharmacy should be developed within research projects and integrated into disease management programs in order to ensure effective implementation.

Biography :

Osama M Al-Quteimat has completed his Master degree in clinical pharmacy at the age of 26 years from University of Jordan. He is a board-certified oncology pharmacist working as clinical pharmacist in King Abdullah Medical City, a leading healthcare institution providing high-quality tertiary and quaternary healthcare, education and research in Saudi Arabia-Makkah. His main interests include pharmaceutical care, oncology pharmacy and patient education. He has published many papers in the field of clinical pharmacy in reputed journals.