AUSTRALIAN pharmacists will be intimately involved in the management of a new breast cancer treatment from Specialised Therapeutics (ST), under a new agreement with pharmacy services group Pharmacy Phusion.
The pact will see patients prescribed with the medication by medical oncologists under the TGA's Special Access Scheme contacted by a specialist pharmacist weekly for the first five weeks of treatment, with monthly follow-ups for the duration of the therapy.
Specialised Therapeutics CEO Carlo Montagner said the program was in line with the company's ongoing commitment to patients.
"This is about reassurance...we want all patients who are being administered our products to feel supported, as well as to ensure treatment is properly initiated and managed so that the best therapeutic outcomes are achieved," Montagner said.
The program kicked off on Fri in relation to a new medicine that treats HER2 overexpressing early-stage breast cancer.
The drug is being made available to Australian oncologists at no cost under a strictly controlled patient access program while it undergoes regulatory evaluation by the TGA.
"We know many patients live in regional and remote communities and can encounter challenges when it comes to immediate support.
"To this end we have engaged a team of experienced pharmacists who will implement regular well-being calls to help our patients during therapy and address any other queries or concerns that may arise," the ST CEO said.
Patients will also be able to telephone a pharmacist for advice at any time during business hours.
Pharmacy Phusion Group Professional Manager Mark Silcock said pharma commpanies around the world can benefit from having an expert pharmacist team supporting their medications, with their role ultimately leading to improved adherence.
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