Autumn Zuckerman, a PharmD, BCPS, CSP and the Director of Health Outcomes at Vanderbilt Specialty Pharmacy, shared her insights on the importance of collaboration between health system specialty pharmacies and manufacturers during a presentation at AXS24. She highlighted a real-world case study where her organization partnered with AstraZeneca to support patients starting poly-ADP ribose polymerase (PARP) inhibitor therapies.
The data showed 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, allowing for improved patient outcomes through tailored monitoring strategies developed in collaboration between manufacturers and pharmacists. Zuckerman emphasized that this collaborative approach has proven effective in improving patient outcomes and optimizing treatment regimens for individuals starting PARP inhibitor therapies.
During an interview at AXS24, Zuckerman highlighted the value of discussions between manufacturers and pharmacists in creating personalized monitoring strategies to benefit patient care. She stressed that this collaborative approach can lead to better outcomes for patients by providing tailored support throughout their treatment journey.