ArticleJournal of oncology pharmacy practice : official publication of the International Society of Oncology Pharmacy Practitioners2019
Financial impact of oral chemotherapy wastage on society and the patient.
Article in Journal of oncology pharmacy practice : official publication of the International Society of Oncology Pharmacy Practitioners, 2019. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 9 papers.
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The trial behind it
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Who cites it
9 citing papers in PubMed.
- The impact of early oral anticancer medication monitoring through electronic patient assessments.American journal of health-system pharmacy : AJHP : official journal of the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists · 2026Trial
- Cutting waste in cancer care: acceptability of novel waste-reduction strategies in oral therapies amongst Irish oncology stakeholders.Irish journal of medical science · 2026Article
- Climate change and cancer care: impacts and implications for patients and healthcare professionals.Ecancermedicalscience · 2025Article
- Optimising oncology drug expenditure in Ireland.Irish journal of medical science · 2024Review
- Financial impact of integrated specialty pharmacy efforts to avoid oral anticancer medication waste.Journal of managed care & specialty pharmacy · 2024Article
- Oncologic drug repository programs in the United States: a review and comparison.Health affairs scholar · 2024Article
- Evaluating drug stability and sterility in single-dose vials when accessed with a closed system transfer device.SAGE open medicine · 2024Article
- Cancer chemotherapy drug wastage in a tertiary care hospital in India-A 3-month prospective and 1-year retrospective study.British journal of clinical pharmacology · 2019Article
- Estimated Cost and Savings in a Patient Management Program for Oral Oncology Medications: Impact of a Split-Fill Component.Journal of oncology practice · 2019Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
4 authors.
Funding
Abstract
backgroundTargeted oral agents are now increasingly being utilized in cancer treatment, but are expensive. Changing the dose of these medications due to toxicity or discontinuation secondary to disease progression or death causes waste from unused medication. Limiting waste is an important goal, as waste has a substantial financial impact on patients and insurance companies.
methodsPatients started on oral targeted agents' sunitinib, everolimus, axitinib, or vemurafenib between January 2012 and February 2015 who obtained their medications at Holden Comprehensive Cancer Center specialty pharmacy were included in the analysis. We acquired dispensing data retrospectively for each of the agents and reviewed patient charts. Wasted tablets/capsules were calculated from their last fill to the dates of stoppage or dose adjustment. The amount associated with the wastage was calculated using the average wholesale price. Repository drug usage data during the same time period was obtained.
resultsEighty-eight patients had their prescriptions filled at Holden Comprehensive Cancer Center during the study time period. Waste occurred in 41% of all patients with primary reasons attributed to cancer progression in 25 patients, death in five patients, toxicity in five patients and increase in dosage of targeted therapy in two patients. A total of 1179 tablets or capsules were wasted from all causes, priced at a total of $248,595.69.
conclusionOral chemotherapy medications are associated with wastage, which is a significant financial burden to society. Progression of disease emerged as the single most important factor accounting for wastage. Novel ideas are needed to prevent wastage, thereby reducing healthcare costs.
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