Authors



Catherine Misquitta, PharmD, MBA, BCPS, BCGP, FCSHP

Latest:

Three Challenges in Medication Adherence That Can Be Overcome by Pharmacists

Medication nonadherence results in greater health care spending and poorer patient health outcomes.


Kelly Mathews, PharmD

Latest:

University Partnerships: Empowering the Next Generation of Pharmacists

Corporate and academic partnerships help prepare new graduates for the world of specialty pharmacy.


Sara Karlovitch Assistant Editor

Latest:

Combining a Passion for Making a Difference With Entrepreneurship

Directions in Oncology Pharmacy® talks to Gordon Vanscoy, PharmD, MBA, CACP, recently named a national Entrepreneur of the Year for 2020 by Ernst & Young.


Khalid Eljaaly, PharmD, CAPPS, BCPS, MS

Latest:

Penicillin Allergies and Cross-Reactivity With Other Beta-Lactams

Patient-reported allergy to penicillin antibiotics is a common scenario during health care encounters, with an estimated population prevalence of roughly 8% to 12%.


Marise Khalil, PharmD Candidate 2020

Latest:

Pharmacists Can Play Key Role in Drug Repurposing

Pharmacists should be aware of what drug repurposing is and how it occurs as due to the vast amount of opportunities that exist.



Vidal Essebag, MD, PhD

Latest:

Economic Burden of Atrial Fibrillation: Implications for Intervention

Because the increasing prevalence of atrial fibrillation imposes significant financial and clinical burdens, efficient healthcare delivery is required to improve outcomes and reduce associated costs.


Robert R. Verbrugge, PhD

Latest:

Impact of Specialty Pharmacy on Treatment Costs for Rheumatoid Arthritis

For patients who use biologic treatments for rheumatoid arthritis, specialty pharmacy care yields higher medication adherence and lower medical costs than retail pharmacy care.




Gregory Hill, BA

Latest:

Economic Model of Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factors for Patients Receiving Chemotherapy

For US payers, pegfilgrastim is a less-expensive choice than daily filgrastim for reducing the risk of febrile neutropenia in patients receiving myelosuppressive chemotherapy.



Mike Hess, Neal B. Curtis

Latest:

Does Your Controlled Substance Compliance Program Adequately Address Pharmacists’ Corresponding Responsibility?

Pharmacists struggling to reconcile their duty to dispense with legal obligations to prevent drug diversion must exercise judgment when determining whether a prescription is suspect or legitimate. 


Alan Fan, MPharm

Latest:

Persistence With Mirabegron Versus Tolterodine in Patients With Overactive Bladder

In a retrospective analysis of the Optum database, overactive bladder patients treated with mirabegron bladder patients persisted longer with treatment than patients treated with tolterodine, and had reduced resource utilization and costs.




Jonathan Ogurchak, PharmD, CSP

Latest:

Help Patients Manage Cold and Flu Symptoms

Consider patients' disease states, medication regimens, and other regularly used nonprescription drugs.


Sarah E. Medeiros, PharmD, BCOP

Latest:

Lisocabtagene Maraleucel: A Review of Indications

Lisocabtagene maraleucel chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapy significantly enhances treatment of relapsed/refractory B-cell malignancies, offering high response rates and durable remissions.


Nedra Geddes-McCarthy

Latest:

Ask Questions, Get Feedback to Make the Most of APPE Rotations

To maximize this challenging experience, pharmacy students should be eager to learn and inquisitive.


John M. O'Brien, PharmD, MPH

Latest:

Improve the Pharmaceutical Ecosystem for Patients

Health care policy decisions based on sound data and research are essential for addressing the challenges.


Vicki Muscarella

Latest:

How to Support Patients and Ensure Adherence to Specialty Therapies

Although specialty therapies have the potential to help people live healthier lives, their cost and complexity can create distinct challenges.


Julia Ziegengeist, PharmD, BCOP

Latest:

The Evolving Pharmacist Role in HER2-Negative Adjuvant Breast Cancer Therapy

Julia Ziegengeist, PharmD, BCOP offers insights for pharmacists navigating adjuvant and neoadjuvant treatment of breast cancer.


Nitin Kumar

Latest:

Five Trends Transforming Pharmacies into Wellness Centers of the Future

With so many radical developments in medicine and technology unfolding at once, the role and potential of the pharmacy as we know it is evolving at breakneck speed.


Lacy La Fever, PharmD, MS

Latest:

AUC 5 vs AUC 6: MUSC Study Highlights the Tradeoffs in Neoadjuvant Breast Cancer Treatment

Lacy La Fever, PharmD, MS, discussed outcomes associated with different carboplatin AUC dosing strategies.


Jonas Congelli, RPh

Latest:

Medically Integrated Pharmacies: The Role of Limited Distribution Networks in Advancing Modern Oncology Pharmacy

Jonas Congelli, RPh, discusses how limited distribution networks and medically integrated pharmacies can improve access, continuity, and quality of oncology care—particularly in underserved areas—while addressing systemic barriers posed by traditional distribution models and pharmacy benefit managers.


Grace Baek, PharmD, BCOP

Latest:

Pirtobrutinib and BTK Inhibitors in the CLL Treatment Landscape

This review discusses the prevalence, mechanisms of development, and evolving treatment landscape in chronic lymphocytic leukemia.


Berrie Child, PharmD, BCOP

Latest:

Review of 3 Alternative Pathways to Access Non–FDA-Approved Drugs

Non–FDA-approved medications may be accessed for patient care via 3 alternative pathways: expanded access, the Right to Try Act, and off-label use, which are reviewed in this article.


Kathi Henson

Latest:

Asembia AXS25: Leveraging Advanced Analytics and Data Insights to Improve Specialty Pharmacy Patient Outcomes

Specialty pharmacies can leverage advanced analytics, AI, and comprehensive data insights to create targeted clinical programs.


Ken Whittemore Jr, RPh, MBA

Latest:

Pharmacist Workload Expected to Increase Again This Fall: How Technology Can Help

There is a real opportunity for technology to alleviate some of the administrative burdens pharmacists face so that they have more time to focus on patient care.