At the Asembia Specialty Pharmacy Summit, Autumn Zuckerman, PharmD, BCPS, CSP, Director of Health Outcomes at Vanderbilt Specialty Pharmacy, showcased the importance of collaboration between health system specialty pharmacies and manufacturers. Using data from a real-world case study, Zuckerman’s organization partnered with AstraZeneca to support patients starting poly-ADP ribose polymerase (PARP) inhibitor therapies. The results 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 worked in collaboration with AstraZeneca to develop a personalized monitoring strategy. 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 felt that it made a significant impact during these check-ins. This successful model is now the standard of care at Vanderbilt University Medical Center and has proven effective in improving patient outcomes through tailored monitoring strategies developed in collaboration between manufacturers and pharmacists. During an interview at AXS24, Zuckerman highlighted the value of discussions between manufacturers and pharmacists in creating personalized monitoring strategies that benefit patient care.