By M Estela Moreno Martinez, ISOPP Symposium Chair, GEDEFO-SEFH member
The theme of the International Symposium on Oncology Pharmacy Practice (ISOPP 2023) was "Collaborate to Innovate" and GEDEFO-SEFH, the Oncology Pharmacy Working Group of the Spanish Society of Hospital Pharmacists, wanted our participation in this congress to be inspired by this slogan. Therefore, the annual meeting of GEDEFO was included into the ISOPP program. Through this close collaboration, we were able to present aspects of our work that were of interest to the group, not only to the GEDEFO members who would normally attend the GEDEFO meeting, but also to all ISOPP participants.
Our presentations and discussions highlighted the importance of staying rooted in the fundamentals, while embracing new technologies and ideas. For example, desensitisation to chemotherapy is a procedure that is becoming more common in the hospital setting. It is particularly useful for patients who have shown a hypersensitivity reaction to a treatment that is their best or only therapeutic option. This procedure should be carried out under the supervision of a multidisciplinary team of allergists, hospital pharmacists, nurses, oncologists and haematologists. Participation in other multidisciplinary teams, such as the Molecular Tumor Board, and evaluation of the results of the cases presented and the decisions taken were other challenges discussed.
We also talked about safety, which is still a key issue, and therefore oncology and haematology pharmacists need to get involved, adopt and implement all the tools that will help us to increase the safety with which we work and to ensure the safety of the whole process, from the prescription to the patient taking the drug or administering the drug. We have to rely on new technologies, which we see as tools to help us avoid errors. However, we must not forget other processes, such as validation, interaction verification and reconciliation, which help us to achieve the best therapeutic outcomes for the patient and to ensure not only safety, but also quality in what we do.
The use of new technologies for early monitoring and management of adverse events is expected to have a positive impact on patient satisfaction and quality of life. Studies have shown that patient-reported outcomes (PROs) are a prognostic factor for overall survival in immunotherapy patients, so it is important to incorporate PRO assessment into patient follow-up. We presented an App that we will begin to validate and adapt to the needs of patients to facilitate the management of adverse events.
We need to continue the spirit of collaboration and innovation we experienced in Seville. Sharing our knowledge and best practices and working together will be essential to advances in clinical patient care.
Returning home, we are truly grateful to have participated in this symposium, which has provided us with new insights, inspiration, and connections. GEDEFO-SEFH would like to thank ISOPP for trusting us and letting us share our annual meeting with all the ISOPP participants, without forgetting all the members of the ISOPP 2023 Planning Task Force, the Symposium Annual Program Task Force, sponsors, collaborators and especially all the attendees. We look forward to seeing you all again at future events where we can continue to collaborate, learn, and grow together.