The National Patient Safety Agency (NPSA) issued a warning of potentially fatal outcomes if incorrect doses of oral chemotherapy drugs are administered. The NPSA raised concerns that the risks of prescribing, dispensing and administration errors are potentially increased if the normal safeguards used for injectable anticancer medicines are not applied.
“There are greater demands made on noncancer specialists to manage oral chemotherapy and increasingly this is occurring in the community so we are recommending that, where appropriate, safeguards in place when managing injectable chemotherapy are applied to oral chemotherapy. The Rapid Response Report aims to raise awareness of the risks and highlights measures to help improve the safety of patients”, said Professor David Cousins, head of safe medication practice at the NPSA.
Key recommendations include the requirement that chemotherapy is initiated by a cancer specialist, while non-specialists who prescribe, dispense or administer ongoing oral anti-cancer medication should have ready access to appropriate written protocols and treatment plans, including guidance on monitoring and treatment of toxicity.
