Press release: WORLD CANCER DAY 2012

On the eve of World Cancer Day the European Association of Hospital Pharmacists (EAHP) and the European Society of Oncology Pharmacy (ESOP) issued a joint call for hospital pharmacist development in order to further advance cancer patient care and outcomes.

Press RELEASE

Brussels, 3 February 2012

Release: Immediate

WORLD CANCER DAY 2012: EAHP AND ESOP ISSUE JOINT CALL FOR PHARMACIST DEVELOPMENT TO ADVANCE CANCER CARE

Pharmacists play a key part in cancer care in such roles as medical oncology, haematology, palliative care and chemotherapy preparation services. Appropriately trained and competent pharmacists are responsible for accurate preparation, dispensing and clinical verification of patients’ chemotherapy, targeted therapy and supportive medication orders.

However both EAHP and ESOP are ambitious to see further development of the pharmacist’s role in cancer treatment and see unrealised opportunities at the European and national level for increasing the input of pharmacist expertise to treatment decisions and the patient experience. The two organisations have therefore issued a short 5 point summary of recommendations to national and international health policy makers:

1. Recognise the need to encourage the role of the pharmacist in multiprofessional cancer care teams. This helps to ensure flexibility of service, best use of workforce skills and best outcomes for patients;

2. Promote the concept of having a lead oncology pharmacist in cancer centres to manage and organise pharmaceutical care;

3. Develop and implement clear Standards in the management and assessment of chemotherapy treatment and the quality of oncology clinical pharmacy service provision;

4. Appreciate the specialised nature of hospital pharmacy, and the hospital pharmacist’s particular expertise in working with specialised and novel medications; and,

5. Support high standards in hospital pharmacy service through the development of accredited and certified hospital pharmacy qualifications, including oncology

Dr Roberto Frontini, President of the EAHP said: “Every one of us is affected by cancer and all of us will know someone taken by this prevalent class of disease. We all therefore have a direct stake in seeing continuous improvement of cancer care across Europe. Central to achieving that is advancing the role of the hospital pharmacist in the treatment pathway. EAHP and ESOP’s 5 point plan provides a framework that we urge health policy makers to give thought to on World Cancer Day as they consider how to improve cancer care in their jurisdiction.”

Klaus Meier, President of ESOP said: “Improving the standard of cancer care in Europe requires close collaboration across professions, health systems and countries. ESOP and EAHP are working together to raise educational and service standards in hospital and oncology pharmacy across all our member countries. However, to achieve this in full we need the support of health policy planners at all levels. We hope this 5 point plan can form a basis for securing greater levels of practical support.”

ENDS

For further information please contact Richard Price, EAHP Policy and Advocacy Officer

Tel.: +32 (0)2/741.68.35 Email: po@eahp.eu

Notes to Editors:

1. The European Association of Hospital Pharmacists (EAHP) is a working community of national associations of hospital pharmacists. Its membership includes representatives of national hospital pharmacy associations in almost all the European Union (EU) member states, in addition to Switzerland, Norway, Serbia, Turkey, Croatia, the Former Yugoslav Republic Of Macedonia (FYROM) and Bosnia Herzegovina . Membership is increasing each year and, at present, EAHP represents the interest of over 21,000 hospital pharmacists in 31 countries all over Europe. www.eahp.eu

2. The European Society of Oncology Pharmacy (ESOP) is constituted of 31 member countries and has 2,600 members. The Society’s primary aim is to support the optimal treatment for cancer patients. It does this by developing and promoting clinical and oncology pharmacy practice and making information on knowledge and achievements in cancer treatment and activities available to the public. In this area it has, for example, developed the quality standard of oncology service pharmacy (QuapoS). www.esop.eu

3. World Cancer Day is marked on February 4 to raise awareness of cancer and to encourage its prevention, detection, and treatment. It is led by the Union for International Cancer Control, a global consortium of more than 470 cancer-fighting organisations in over 120 countries. www.worldcancerday.org

4. The 17th Annual Congress of the European Association of Hospital Pharmacists will be held in Milan 21-23 March.

More information here http://www.eahp.eu/Congresses/2012-Congress-Milan-Italy

5. The first scientific conference of ESOP, together with the European CanCer Organisation (ECCO), the European Conference of Oncology Pharmacy (ECOP), will be held in Budapest September 27th to 29th 2012.

More information here: http://www.ecco-org.eu/Conferences/Conferences/ECOP-2012/~/media/ECCO%20documents/ECCO%20sections/Congresses%20and%20Conferences/ECOP%202012/LR_110155_ECOP2012_progr_overview_V02.ashx

Source

http://www.eahp.eu/News/Our-News/Press-release-WORLD-CANCER-DAY-2012