Aim: We aimed at evaluating the impact of an interprofessional medication adherence program (IMAP) on patients’ implementation and persistence to oral anticancer therapies (OAT) for solid cancers.
Methods: Enrolled patients treated with OAT were randomized in two arms. The intervention arm consisted in delivering OAT in electronic monitors (EM) coupled with monthly motivational interviews led by pharmacists to support patients’ OAT management during 12-month. Control arm received standard care, plus EM without interven- tion. Implementation and persistence were compared between groups, using generalized estimating equation models and Kaplan-Meier curve.
Results: The OAT implementation was constantly higher in intervention (n=58) than in control arm (n=60), respectively 98.2% and 95.1% at 6 months, _3.1% (IC95: 2.5-3.8%); while probability of persistence was comparable, respectively 91.2% and 91.7% at 6 months, _-0.5% (IC95: -12.0; +11.2%). In each group, 6 patients discontinued OAT because of side effects. In the intervention and control groups, OAT was stopped respectively in 19 versus 14 patients due to cancer progression.
Discussion: The IMAP slightly increased implementation to OAT whereas no impact was found on persistence. The EM database was rigorously cleaned, as the numerous OAT altered regimens, interruptions due to side effects and premature OAT stops could have led to data misinterpretation. Association with covariables such
as gender and time since diagnosis is currently investigated.
Conclusion: The IMAP, led by pharmacists in interprofessional collaboration, supports implementation to OAT. Further analysis to determine the impact of the intervention are ongoing.