Evaluation of a Hepatitis C Patient Management Program at a University Specialty Pharmacy

Abstract

The UR Specialty Pharmacy was associated with a 93% SVR rate and significantly greater adherence compared with nonintegrated pharmacies. Larger studies are needed to determine if a significant difference in SVR exists between integrated and nonintegrated pharmacies. This study provides a framework for other institutions to justify developing integrated hepatitis C specialty pharmacy services and evaluate their success.

Evaluation of pharmaceutical intervention in direct-acting antiviral agents for hepatitis C virus infected patients in an ambulatory setting: a retrospective analysis

“…In phase 3 trials, patients with lower adherence to DAAs resulted in suboptimal SVR rates [ 5 , 6 ]. Some studies have indicated that the SVR rates in adherent patients, defined as having the proportion of days covered (PDC) > 80% or 90%, were higher than in non-adherent [ 12 , 15 ]. Enhancement of patients’ adherence to DAAs is a challenge for the achievement of satisfactory therapeutic effect of SVR through IFN-free DAA therapy in real-world clinical settings.…”

“…The adherence rate was not influenced by the dosage form (either the combination tablets or the non-combination tablets). Some previous reports have indicated that the SVR12 rate is 88.2–95.3% in real-world settings [ 9 , 12 , 16 – 18 ], and 84.4–98.1% in phase 2–3 trials [ 15 , 19 – 21 ]. In this study, the SVR12 rate was 99.6% (Table 2 ), which is relatively higher than in the previous studies [ 9 , 12 , 16 – 18 ].…”

“…Some previous reports have indicated that the SVR12 rate is 88.2–95.3% in real-world settings [ 9 , 12 , 16 – 18 ], and 84.4–98.1% in phase 2–3 trials [ 15 , 19 – 21 ]. In this study, the SVR12 rate was 99.6% (Table 2 ), which is relatively higher than in the previous studies [ 9 , 12 , 16 – 18 ]. These results indicate that the pharmaceutical support provided by the ambulatory care pharmacy practice, including explanation of the importance of adherence and the management of adverse drug events, helped the achievement of favorable SVR rates, probably due to the enhancement of adherence.…”

“…Patients were able to ask a pharmacist questions directly at the ambulatory care pharmacy practice, or by telephone. Pharmacists who received questions from patients shared the information with the physicians through face-to-face meetings and/or by telephone and through the electronic medical record system [ 12 ]. As necessary, the pharmacist suggested the prescriptions to the physicians, based on the information obtained.…”

Local specialty pharmacy and specialty clinic collaboration assists access to hepatitis C direct-acting antivirals

“…The University of Rochester HCV integrated management program also has revealed high patient adherence rates and high SVR rates for patients participating in a similar integrated hepatitis clinic model. 25 Taken together, these data demonstrated that an HCVspecialized LSP in collaboration with DAA prescribers may play a key role in the successful completion of DAA therapy.…”