CORRESPONDENCE

RESPONSE: Re: Adherence to Therapy With Oral Antineoplastic Agents

Ann H. Partridge, Jerry Avorn, Philip S. Wang, Eric P. Winer

Affiliations of authors: A. H. Partridge, E. P. Winer, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, MA; J. Avorn, P. S. Wang, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston.

Correspondence to: Eric P. Winer, M.D., Breast Oncology Center, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, 44 Binney St., Boston, MA 02115 (e-mail: ewiner{at}partners.org).

de Lemos highlights the involvement of pharmacists in patient education and points out their contribution in fostering adherence to oral medications. Because pharmacists generally dispense oral antineoplastic agents directly to patients to be self-administered, this interaction can be an ideal time to reinforce with patients the importance of taking their medication on schedule and to address any questions about the medication. Furthermore, pharmacists may be the only providers seen by the patient at the time when drugs are refilled, so they may be the most likely to detect problems with adherence. Unfortunately, in many (perhaps most) retail pharmacy settings in the United States, very little counseling actually occurs at present, and the demands of high-volume activity have displaced much of the useful educational activities that de Lemos describes.

Adherence to oral cancer therapy can be influenced by the many individuals who play a part in a patient’s care. The support of the entire health care team in recognizing problems with adherence and working to improve individual nonadherence is an invaluable part of the patient care process.



             
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