Autumn Zuckerman, PharmD, BCPS, CSP, Director of Health Outcomes at Vanderbilt Specialty Pharmacy, shared the importance of collaboration between health system specialty pharmacies and manufacturers during a presentation at AXS24. Her organization partnered with AstraZeneca to support patients starting poly-ADP ribose polymerase (PARP) inhibitor therapies. Through data from a real-world case study, Zuckerman found that many patients experienced side effects early on, with nearly a quarter discontinuing treatment and over half needing to reduce their dose.
To address these challenges, Zuckerman’s team developed a personalized monitoring strategy in collaboration with AstraZeneca. Pharmacists would contact patients at specific timepoints when they were likely to experience adverse effects, based on data provided by the manufacturer. Through these pharmacist-initiated discussions, the number of dose reductions decreased and the duration of interruptions was shortened from 17 days to 7 days. Although discontinuation rates remained the same, there were fewer drug discontinuations related to adverse events.
Patients appreciated the additional touchpoint with the pharmacist and pharmacists felt they were making a significant impact during these check-ins. This successful model is now the standard of care at Vanderbilt University Medical Center and has improved patient outcomes through tailored monitoring strategies developed in collaboration between manufacturers and pharmacists.
Zuckerman emphasized that discussions between manufacturers and pharmacists are essential for creating personalized monitoring strategies that benefit patient care. She highlighted that this collaborative approach has proven effective in improving patient outcomes and optimizing treatment regimens for individuals starting PARP inhibitor therapies.
