Pharmacists on the Front Lines of Myelofibrosis Care: Addressing Symptom Burden, Treatment Complexity, and Access Challenges

In this Pharmacy Times Q&A, Addie Planas, PharmD, CPh, CSP, discusses the complex and often unpredictable treatment journey for patients with myelofibrosis and the critical role pharmacists play in optimizing care. She highlights how ambulatory pharmacists help manage significant symptom burden, monitor for cytopenias and treatment-related adverse effects, and support adherence through frequent patient touchpoints. Planas also explains how treatment selection among Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitors is guided by individual patient factors such as anemia status and prior therapy response. Beyond clinical management, pharmacists help patients navigate high-cost specialty therapies by facilitating prior authorizations, financial assistance programs, and insurance coordination. As new targeted and combination therapies emerge, Planas emphasizes that pharmacists will become increasingly central to treatment decision-making, safety monitoring, and improving patient quality of life.