International Society of Oncology Pharmacy Practitioners
Vol 16, No. 4 Dec. 2014
Dear   
 
Welcome to the new edition of ISOPP News. We have published this newsletter in PDF format for many years, but wanted to take advantage of the new website and all it has to offer. We hope you enjoy this new interactive format.

Below are introductions to each article. Full articles are available on the website. You just need to click on the "Read more..." link at the end of each introduction to have access to the full article. Remember that ISOPP News is for members only, so you will need to log in first and then click on the "Read more.." link to read the articles. We have also summarized this newsletter with its links as an ISOPP News post "ISOPP Newsletter - December 2014 Summary" so that you can easily reference the associated articles while on the website.

Once logged in, you can comment on the articles and easily find other articles on the ISOPP News page by using the Category or Archive functions to search.

Let me know if you have any questions or comments. And remember, we always welcome new authors! Find out more about submitting an article on the ISOPP Newsletter page.

Sincerely,
Jill Davis
ISOPP Newsletter Editor
[email protected]  
Jill Davis
Message from the President 
By Rowena (Moe) Schwartz, Pharm.D., BCOP

Today is the day to volunteer!

I have decided to take a bit of a different approach to the President's remarks in this Newsletter. I am going to let the progress that ISOPP has made in the last few months be told in the updates provided in the newsletter, from ISOPP emails and, of course, on the ISOPP websites. I will just summarize it to say, ISOPP continues to grow as a result of the committed Secretariat, Committee Chairs, membership and the Sea to Sky association management company.

My focus is on you - the ISOPP member. You are essential to the success of this organization. I ask you to take a minute today, and decide what you can do to support ISOPP through participation on an ISOPP Committee.

Read more ...
Rowena (Moe) Schwartz
ISOPP Website Task Force Report
By Shaun O'Connor

Task Force Members: Steve Stricker, Felice Musicco, Shaun O'Connor and Sherri Corrie (Sea to Sky Meeting Management)

Over the last six months, the Website Task Force developed a website with a structure aimed at meeting the needs and desires of members. As part of the development, we had to first create a document that outlined the content and features that the website would contain, as well as determine outlines for page structure and links to other sections to try to create a site that would allow the user to easily find relevant information.

Read more ...
Shaun O'Connor
UMMC World Pharmacists Day 2014 Report
By Harbans Dhillon, President-elect ISOPP, Senior Pharmacist, University Malaya Medical Centre, Malaysia

What is World Pharmacists Day?
  • World Pharmacists Day is held to promote world recognition towards pharmacists as professional healthcare providers
  • Medicines - major issue in most parts of the world
  • 2012: study - USD 500 mil could be saved every year if responsible use of medicines was achieved
  • 2013: 13% of worldwide visits at community pharmacies consists of consultation sessions alone (seeking advice only)
  • Pharmacists - a strong & under-utilized asset to achieve this goal
  • Pharmacists - the most accessible & trusted healthcare professionals
  • Medicines + expertise (i.e PHARMACISTS) = BEST ACCESS TO BETTER HEALTH OUTCOME
Read more ...
 
Report of the Annual Congress of the International Society of Paediatric Oncology 
By Tiene Bauters, ISOPP Secretariat member, Clinical Pharmacist Pediatric Hematology, Oncology and Stem Cell Transplantation, Ghent University Hospital, Ghent, Belgium

The 46th Annual Congress of the International Society of Paediatric Oncology (SIOP 2014) was held in Toronto, Canada from October 22-25, 2014. More than 1900 participants representing 92 countries attended the meeting.

SIOP is one of the largest international, professional organizations dedicated to pediatric oncology and is an important partner in advancing knowledge in all aspects of childhood cancer.

Some highlights that might be of interest for pharmacists involved in pediatric oncology and supportive care are summarized.

Tiene Bauters & John Wiernikowski (ISOPP Past President)
Report from the 17th BOPA Annual Symposium
By Bruce Burnett, UK

The BOPA Annual Symposium (BOPA 2014) was held from 17th - 19th October 2014 in Birmingham and consisted of three streams on each day with plenary and a number of industry sponsored sessions. The clinical update and research and development streams ran on all three days with NHS, Policy and Access to Medicines alternating with a Technician Stream.

The programme had a more scientific feel to it than previous years whilst at the same time not diminishing the practice content. At a time when the role of "science" in the undergraduate programme is the subject of much debate here in the UK this was a perfect example of why science and practice are "better together" - apologies for the blatant use of one of the Scottish Independence referendum slogans.

Read more ...
Dr. Richard FitzGeraldpresenting
APOPC Highlights
By Harbans Dhillon, President-elect ISOPP, Senior Pharmacist, University Malaya Medical Centre, Malaysia

The Asia Pacific Oncology Pharmacy Congress (APOPC 2014) took place from 27-29 September 2014 in Seoul, Korea. This congress was attended by over 300 participants from all over Asia Pacific.

There were a total of 45 poster presentations which highlighted pharmaceutical counseling, review of therapeutics, economic evaluation, effectiveness evaluation, impact of oncology clinical pharmacy service, evaluation of nutritional support in cancer patients, adverse drug reactions, drug interactions, and research on specific drugs in various carcinomas. The focus of this congress was current interest in oncology pharmacy.

Read more ...
Harbans Dhillon
ISOPP changed my life as a pharmacist dramatically
By Shinya Suzuki, Oncology Pharmacist, Ward Pharmacist / Head and Neck Medical Oncology, Division of Pharmacy, National Cancer Center Hospital East, Japan

As an oncology pharmacist who works for the National Cancer Center Hospital in Japan, I always thought that I would have international collaborative projects in order to change oncology pharmacy in Japan. Here, I would like to share my experiences after I attended the XIV International Symposium on Oncology Pharmacy Practice (ISOPP 2014) in Montreal, Canada. The story might seem like a novel, but it is a true story. I can say there are great leaders in the international society and you there are many opportunities to be gained from membership of the society.

Shinya Suzuki
A day in the life of a Canadian pediatric oncology pharmacist  
By Jennifer Jupp, Clinical Practice Leader - Hematology, Oncology, Transplant (H.O.T) Program, Alberta Children's Hospital, Foothills Medical Centre, Canada

The day starts off as it always does...deep breath, coffee first.  Second order of business...triaging the patients that I'll have the privilege of providing care for today.

Walking onto Unit 1 of the Alberta Children's Hospital, I'll speak to the nurses about the 8 year old hematopoietic transplant patient with a yet to be determined reason for febrile neutropenia. As I'm looking in the electronic lab reporting system for her pending blood cultures, I make a note to check the morphine requirements of another patient with severe mucositis...

Jennifer Jupp
ISOPP's Society &
Symposium Management Office

 

Sea to Sky Meeting Management is ISOPP's Society and 2016 & 2017 Symposium Management Office. If you have any questions about membership, services, ISOPP 2016, ISOPP 2017 or the Society, please contact the ISOPP Office directly as follows:
Direct: +1-778-338-4142
Fax: +1-604-984-6434
Suite 206, 201 Bewicke Avenue

North Vancouver, BC Canada V7M 3M7

www.seatoskymeetings.com 

In This Issue
Quick Links

Submit an Article

Contact the Newsletter Editor at [email protected] to submit an article.

Member Business

It is time to renew your ISOPP membership. If you didn't receive your personalize membership link, email [email protected] to request your link to renew.

ISOPP exists to develop, improve and support the practice of oncology pharmacy for the benefit of cancer patients around the world. Membership comes with a great range of benefits. Review your membership benefits and take a moment to renew today (using your personalized link provided via email separately)!

Call for Volunteers

ISOPP 2016 - Call for Scientific Program Committee Members - Are you interested in actively participating in the program development for the XV International Symposium on Oncology Pharmacy Practice (ISOPP 2016), which will take place in 2016 in Santiago, Chile? Find out more ...

Call for Nomination Committee Members - We would like to have Regional/Geographical representation on the Nomination Committee; and require members from around the world. Find out more ...

Call for Volunteers for ISOPP's Standing Committees - Are you interested in being involved in ISOPP directly? Find out more ... 
Related Networks

The American Society for Blood and Marrow Transplantation Pharmacy Special Interest Group (SIG) was developed to provide leadership and representation for pharmacists practicing in hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HCT).  The Pharmacy SIG is committed to facilitating and advancing several areas within HCT including pharmacy research, education, communication, membership, and advocacy.