Abstract

PURPOSE: Oncology pharmacists (OPs) play a crucial role in cancer care, treatment, survivorship, and multidisciplinary teams (MDTs). OPs have specialized training in designing, administering, monitoring, and modifying oncology chemotherapy; managing adverse events; and evaluating clinical trials and investigational drugs. Yet, the state of OP has remained largely unknown in the clinical oncology workforce of the West African region. Therefore, this study aimed to understand who reconstitutes chemotherapy and to explain the OP educational and practice needs, challenges, and solutions in Nigeria.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: Using a concurrent embedded mixed method design, 35 OPs completed a questionnaire, and 12 others responded to a semistructured interview. The data were then subjected to inductive thematic and descriptive analyses.

RESULTS: The findings showed that 54% of the OPs were responsible for chemotherapy reconstitution, and only 60% of the oncology centers had a biosafety cabinet. 91% of OPs were practicing; however, only 54% were trained in OP, and none of the OPs were board-certified. Most of the OPs spent time weekly on reconstitution, administrative duties, teaching, and training; only 3% spent on oncology clinical trials and conferences and 8% on noninterventional research. We identified four themes: (1) Some OPs are not reconstituting chemotherapy: A Call for MDT, (2) For OP, No Training is Enough, (3) Board Certification will give OPs Recognition, and (4) Introduction of OP Course in Universities.

CONCLUSION: To improve patient treatment outcomes, training on chemotherapy reconstitution should be prioritized, integration of OPs into MDTs, and the safe handling of chemotherapy in centers should be mandated in the region. The West African Postgraduate College of Pharmacists should be supported in expanding its curriculum and introducing OP fellowships.

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

7-1-2025

Notes/Citation Information

© 2025 by American Society of Clinical Oncology

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

https://doi.org/10.1200/GO-25-00021

Funding Information

The following represents disclosure information provided by authors of this manuscript. All relationships are considered compensated unless otherwise noted. Relationships are self-held unless noted. I 5 Immediate Family Member, Inst 5 My Institution. Relationships may not relate to the subject matter of this manuscript. For more information about ASCO’s conflict of interest policy, please refer to www.asco.org/ rwc or ascopubs.org/go/authors/author-center. Open Payments is a public database containing information reported by companies about payments made to US-licensed physicians (Open Payments).

Funsho David

Employment: Roche Product Ltd

Leadership: Roche Product Ltd

Stock and Other Ownership Interests: Roche

Travel, Accommodations, Expenses: Roche

Rob Duncombe

Stock and Other Ownership Interests: AstraZeneca, GlaxoSmithKline

Honoraria: Roche, Astellas Pharma, Becton Dickinson, Amgen, Sun Pharma, Lilly, Bristol Myers Squibb/Medarex

R. Donald Harvey

Research Funding: Janssen Research & Development (Inst), MorphoSys

Cindy O’Bryant

Stock and Other Ownership Interests: Lilly (I), Tandem Diabetes Care (I)

Consulting or Advisory Role: Intera Oncology

Folakemi T. Odedina

Employment: Mayo Clinic

Research Funding: National Cancer Institute, Department of Defense- Prostate Cancer Research Program

Travel, Accommodations, Expenses: American Association for Cancer Research, FLASCO

No other potential conflicts of interest were reported.

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