OPINION
The EBMT Pharmacist Committee
The EBMT Pharmacist Committee has been established to structure and develop scientific and educational
activities designed for pharmacists and clinical pharmacologists involved in the field of stem cell transplantation
and cellular therapy
Tiene Bauters PharmD PhD
Clinical Pharmacist, Paediatric
Haematology, Oncology and Stem
Cell Transplantation, Ghent University
Hospital, Ghent, Belgium
The number of haematopoietic
stem cell transplantations
(HSCT) in adults and children has
expanded in the last decades and still
continues to increase. In order to
ensure safe and effective care, HSCT
treatments should be performed in
expert centres by experienced and
fully dedicated multidisciplinary
teams, including physicians, nurses
and clinical pharmacists.
Due to the complexicity of
the conditioning regimens and
pharmacotherapeutic plans,
patients undergoing HSCT are at
high risk for developing drug-related
problems. They often require
a wide range of supportive care
drugs – over a prolonged period –
to avoid or manage complications
related to transplantation. These
drugs include immunosuppressive
agents, antiemetics, analgesics,
corticosteroids, antifungals,
antivirals, antibacterials,
antiepileptics, antihypertensives,
among others.
For many years, the clinical
pharmacist has been an integral
member of the multidisciplinary
stem cell transplantation team.
Clinical pharmacists have proved to
be well-positioned to manage drug
therapy (including adverse events,
and drug–drug interactions, especially
when drugs with a narrow toxic
–therapeutic range are involved),
to perform a pharmacotherapeutic
assessment, to participate in ward
rounds and to develop and implement
guidelines for supportive care.
Since 2015, the key role of the
pharmacist in HSCT and the Joint
Accreditation Committee-ISCT &
EBMT (JACIE) has been recognised
in the 6th Edition of the JACIE
Standards. Pharmacists should
be involved in preparing for, and
maintaining, accreditation, which
encourages closer collaboration in
delivering safe, high-quality care
to patients.
In April 2018, the Pharmacist
Committee of the European Society
for Blood and Marrow Transplantation
(EBMT) was established with the main
aim of providing specific training
and education for pharmacists,
clinical pharmacologists and other
professionals, to define the role of
hospital pharmacy in the delivery of
cellular medicines, and to advise on
the content and implementation of
related standards (for example, JACIE).
In addition to this, the Committee is
involved in the organisation of the
EBMT Pharmacist Day at the annual
EBMT meeting.
More information can be found on
the EBMT webpage at www.ebmt.org/
pharmacist-committee.
When is the next meeting?
The next EBMT Pharmacist Day will be
held on Tuesday 26 March 2019 and is
open to everyone who is attending the
Annual meeting.
Pharmacists and clinical
pharmacologists specialised in HSCT
will present relevant up-to-date topics
in four sessions, including:
• Medication management, including
the multidisciplinary aspect and the
importance of computerised provider
order entry
• An update of the JACIE Standards for
pharmacists
• Gene and cell therapy, including CAR
T-cell therapy and its implementation
in practice; current and upcoming
gene therapy and establishing these in
the pharmacy
• Personalised dosing of conditioning
agents beyond busulfan will be
discussed and drugs including
cyclophosphamide, fludarabine,
melphalan and clofarabine will be
highlighted
• Pharmacokinetics and
pharmacodynamics of biologics and
their importance from a pharmacoeconomic
and pharmacovigilance
points of view.
This full-day programme will
enable pharmacists to fulfil a great
part of their JACIE requirements
for educational activities in cellular
therapy.
The Pharmacists’ day will be a great
opportunity to network and catch up
with pharmacy colleagues from all
around the world and I hope to see
you there.
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10 | Issue 91 | 2019 | hospitalpharmacyeurope.com