RESOURCES
Updated guide to help patients understand out-of-pocket medical costs
Developed with the support of 30 medical colleges and associations, the Informed Financial Consent Guide provides patients with the financial health literacy they need to have discussions with their doctor about out-of-pocket costs
The Council of Therapeutic Advisory Groups (CATAG, www.catag.org.au) is pleased to announce the release of a new counselling tool:
High-cost medicines in public hospitals consumer counselling tool
This document is to assist healthcare professionals explain the complex area of Medicine Access Programs (MAPs) to consumers. It outlines the important information consumers need to know about MAPs.
The Understanding Medicines Access Programs factsheet was developed using the Sydney Health Literacy Lab Editor: Ayre J. et al. (2023). JMR Formative Research, e40645. DOI: 10.2196/40645.
Health professionals looking for more information may find the Guiding principles for the governance of Medicines Access Programs a helpful document.
Management of fluoropyrimidine overdose or overexposure
Background
Fluorouracil (5-FU) and capecitabine are fluoropyrimidines widely used for the treatment of solid tumours. Exceeding the absolute dose or infusion rate can result in serious or life-threatening toxicity.
Fluoropyrimidine overdose or overexposure can manifest as severe forms of common adverse reactions such as mucositis, diarrhoea or cytopenias, or patients may quickly develop central neurotoxicities (e.g. altered mental state, encephalopathy and coma) and acute cardiac toxicities (e.g. arrhythmias, heart failure, and cardiac arrest) which can be fatal.
Fluoropyrimidine overdose or overexposure may be due to:
infusion pump malfunction or mis-programming
dose calculation errors
excess or accidental ingestion of oral fluorouracil analogues (e.g. capecitabine)
concomitant drugs that inhibit fluorouracil metabolism
dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase (DPD) deficiency resulting in fluorouracil overexposure.
Read the full resource: https://www.eviq.org.au/clinical-resources/side-effect-and-toxicity-management/prophylaxis-and-treatment/738-management-of-fluoropyrimidine-overdose-or-ove#background
Healthy workplace culture in health systems: A proposed National Framework
MOGA endorse the Workplace Report Framework - A model of healthy workplace culture for contemporary Australia.
Healthy workplace culture forms the foundation for workforce wellbeing across health systems. Recognition of the importance of workforce wellbeing is growing rapidly and has led to its greater prioritisation at local and government level. [Read full document]
Published Research:
MOGA Membership Research Initiatives: The Authors and MOGA thank the members who participated in these research activities
Therapeutic drug monitoring in anticancer agents: perspectives of Australian medical oncologists
Flynn A, Galettis P, Gurney H, Michael M, Desar I, Westerdijk K, Schneider J, Martin J. Therapeutic drug monitoring in anticancer agents: perspectives of Australian medical oncologists. Intern Med J. 2024 May 20. doi: 10.1111/imj.16415. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 38767393. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/imj.16415
2024-2025 Top 10 for Health Economics and Outcomes (HEOR) Research Trends
ISPOR—The Professional Society for HEOR monitors healthcare trends and conduct horizon scanning around the world. This is the fifth publication of the Society’s biennial report, and covers the following issues;
Real-World Evidence
Drug Pricing
Artificial Intelligence
Fostering Innovation
Health Equity
Accelerated Drug Approvals
Value Measurement
Patient Centricity
Precision Medicine
Public Health
Go to https://www.ispor.org/heor-resources/about-heor/top-10-heor-trends
February 2024
Re: Technical system issue with eviQ website between 18 December 2022 and 22 January 2023
Read correspondence on behalf of Prof Tracey O’Brien, Chief Executive Officer, Cancer Institute NSW, and Chief Cancer Officer NSW. March 2023
FERTILITY PRESERVATION FOR PEOPLE WITH CANCER
Summary of recommendations is available, with key updates in management including:
Pregnancy rates after oocyte cryopreservation are similar to those after embryo cryopreservation
Ovarian tissue cryopreservation and transplantation for females is no longer considered experimental, however special oversight for pre-pubertal females is recommended
Testicular sperm extraction (TESE) may be considered for azoospermic postpubertal boys and men who have already undergone cancer treatment
Testicular tissue cryopreservation in pre-pubertal boys and the in vitro maturation and transplantation strategies are currently experimental
February 2023
Adolescent and Young Adult Optimal Care Pathway (AYA OCP), endorsed by Cancer Australia and the Federal Department of Health as Australia’s national pathway to guide best-practice cancer care for adolescents and young adults, is now available for download.
The pathway was developed by Victoria’s Paediatric Integrated Cancer Service (PICS) in collaboration with the Victorian Adolescent & Young Adult Cancer Service at Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre and an expert reference group chaired by Professor Ian Olver at the University of Adelaide.
This pathway reminds and guides health professionals to consider a young person with cancer not just in the context of their disease, but equally in the context of their life stage, to reduce disparity and improve outcomes and quality of care.
Health professionals can now download a detailed cancer care pathway guide and a quick reference guide via the Cancer Council website.
Please direct enquiries to pics.admin@rch.org.au. February 2023
Optimal care pathway for people with neuroendocrine tumours – now available
Cancer Council Victoria in collaboration with a multidisciplinary expert working group, has developed the following nationally endorsed resources:
Optimal Care Pathways aim to improve patient outcomes through promoting quality cancer care and ensuring that all people diagnosed with cancer receive the best care, irrespective of where they live or receive cancer treatment. The NETs OCP can guide, support and inform increased collaboration, more effective care, improved healthcare provider–patient communication and patient experience. The NETs OCP is endorsed by Cancer Australia, and all states and territories through the Health Chief Executive Forum (former Australian Health Ministers Advisory Committee).
The Guide to Best Cancer Care is a summary of the Optimal Care Pathway and helps people affected by neuroendocrine tumours to understand the care they should receive at every step, from diagnosis, through to treatment and beyond. February 2023
Medicines Access Portal (MAP) - A Compassionate and Special Access Programs Portal for Australian Clinicians
The MAP is a single, secure online portal which allows clinicians to view Compassionate and Special Access Programs that pharmaceutical companies have available for cancer patients in Australia.
The MAP lists treatment programs that are not publicly advertised in one, central location for ease of access for clinicians, allowing them to potentially provide more treatment options to their patients with complex, life-limiting cancer.
Australian medical practitioners that have an AHPRA number can securely register to use the MAP website where they can search for information on available access programs.
To comply with the Therapeutic Goods Act, the public are not able to access the MAP. However, treating clinicians will be able to talk to their patients and their carers about programs that could be relevant to them. Cancer patients will benefit significantly from the MAP. For instance, Cancer specialists, especially those in regional, rural and remote areas, will have easier and faster access to information about medicines and treatments and will be able to offer more care options to their patients.
Endorsed by the Therapeutic Goods Administration, the MAP has been developed by Rare Cancers Australia and Medicines Australia under the leadership of Professor John Zalcberg OAM and in collaboration with the Medical Oncology Group of Australia, the TGA, the Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee, industry representatives and clinicians.
If you have any questions or for more information please contact map@rarecancers.org.au
To access the MAP : www.medicinesap.com
February 2023
Refreshed National Medicines Policy
The Australian Government has released an updated and strengthened National Medicines Policy (NMP). The NMP was first published in 2000. During 2021 and 2022 the Department of Health and Aged Care (Department) conducted a Review of the NMP that included extensive public consultations. The refreshed NMP is available on the Department’s website. Updated 20 December 2022
Guiding principles for the governance of high-cost medicines in Australian hospitals
The document is hosted on the CATAG website and can be found here
Version 1: January 2022
Defining research and infrastructure priorities for cancer survivorship in Australia: a modified Delphi study
A recent audit conducted by Cancer Australia has revealed that funding to cancer survivorship research remains consistently lower than funding to other fields of cancer research. We hope that the priorities that we have identified through expert consensus can help to focus future survivorship research directions, be considered in strategic planning, and also provide evidence to support grant funding applications.
This research was led by the COSA Survivorship Group and involved a two-round online, modified-Delphi study conducted between November 2020 and February 2021. This study recommends that important research topics be prioritised in four distinct categories: physiological outcomes, psychosocial outcomes, population groups and health services. It has also developed consensus on the infrastructure priorities which need to be addressed to advance cancer survivorship research. Detailed outcomes have been published in Supportive Care in Cancer (here), with a one-page summary of the top priorities available here.
Cancer Australia Update on COVID-testing and management of patients with a positive test
Cancer Australia has undertaken a review of guidance from international organisations regarding the management of cancer patients with COVID-19.
The international guidance is not prescriptive, and generally involves an individual risk, benefit assessment and shared decision-making with individual patients; and local jurisdictional and health service policies need to be considered. Updated 18 Jan 2022.
A new online module on Voluntary Assisted Dying laws is now available
On completion of the module clinicians should be able to:
Describe the legal status of voluntary assisted dying (VAD) in Australia
Understand the eligibility criteria and processes for accessing VAD in jurisdictions where it is lawful
Understand the legal obligations of health professionals arising from VAD laws
Differentiate between VAD and other practices, including providing pain and symptom relief and withholding and withdrawing life-sustaining treatment.
Certificates of completion are available. > more information
The full training course can be accessed for free
Australian NET Specialists
NeuroEndocrine Cancer Australia NET Specialist Registry is a resource that acknowledges those medical practitioners who are experienced in the management of neuroendocrine cancers and who fulfil certain criteria that NeuroEndocrine Cancer Australia has applied. > Find a Specialist
Australasian Consensus Guidelines for the use of antifungal agents in the haematology‐oncology setting | 2021 Update
Pages: 1-233 | November 2021
Investigating symptoms of lung cancer: a guide for all health professionals
Cancer Australia has released a digital, interactive diagnostic tool for investigating symptoms of lung cancer in primary care. Based on the resource, Investigating symptoms of lung cancer: a guide for all health professionals, the digital tool assists health professionals in the identification and appropriate investigation of symptoms and signs of lung cancer, and supports the timely referral of patients into the multidisciplinary diagnostic pathway, and features a contemporary, user-friendly, mobile-optimised, and responsive interface. Uploaded 11 Nov 2021.
Guiding principles for the governance of biologics and their biosimilars in Australian hospitals
Version 3 – October 2021
COVID-19 Management Seminar
Uploaded 1 Oct 2021
Survivorship for Medical Oncologists
Clicking this link will take you to an external website. The information provided on the linked page is hosted by the Australian Cancer Survivorship Centre, based at the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre. Content has been curated specifically for Medical Oncologists and reviewed by MOGA.
Chemotherapy Dose Calculation - Prof Howard Gurney
YouTube videos series allocated into a number of 9-minute segments about various aspects of dose calculation. Clinical pharmacology training for advanced Trainees, to develop an understanding of the building blocks of prescribing drugs in cancer.
Opioid Advisory Labels
The Pharmaceutical Society of Australia (PSA) has developed a cautionary advisory label (CAL) warning of the risk of opioid overdose and dependence. CALs are applied by pharmacists to medicines at the time of dispensing, and are intended to be used as an aid to counselling patients about the safe and effective use of medicines. An Opioid Medicines patient information handout has been developed as an additional counselling aid and can be found here
