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Aprl 22, 2015: Analysis of Incidents Involving Oral Chemotherapy Agents

SafeMedicationUse.ca received a report about an older adult who took the osteoporosis medication The past few years have seen the introduction of many oral chemotherapy agents. These agents can be self-administered at home, allowing for increased convenience relative to parenteral therapy administered in a specialized oncology setting. However, home therapy also transfers esponsibility for the management and monitoring of chemotherapy regimens to patients, their caregivers, and healthcare professionals who may not have the appropriate training to take on these new tasks. A multi-incident analysis of medication incidents involving oral chemotherapy agents was performed to better understand the challenges encountered by healthcare professionals who care for patients taking these medications. This bulletin shares the findings of the analysis and, by highlighting the major findings, identifies opportunities for system-based improvements.   Read more...