title: Evaluation of community pharmacist ability to ensure the safe use of oral anticancer agents: a nationwide survey in Japan.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  A recent study of community pharmacists in Canada reported that they required additional education. We conducted a survey of community pharmacists to evaluate the adequacy of education and training in oral anticancer agents in Japan.
  
  
  METHODS
  Between May and June 2014, community pharmacists were asked to complete a questionnaire by using two different survey strategies, one online and one via postal mail.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Three hundred community pharmacists responded to an online survey and 283 community pharmacists responded to a mailed survey. Only 6-10% of respondents felt that they had received adequate education in oncology or oral chemotherapy. Although 81% of Japanese pharmacists had attended at least one continuing education event related to oncology in the past 2 years, only 54% felt comfortable dispensing oral anticancer agents and only 40% felt comfortable educating patients about oral chemotherapy. In a multivariate analysis, confidence in educating patients about oral chemotherapy was associated with an understanding of chemotherapy cycles and doses (odds ratio = 4.89, 95% confidence interval [2.53-9.45]) and the number of continuing education events they had attended (odds ratio = 1.67, 95% confidence interval [1.35-2.08]).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This is the first report to evaluate whether community pharmacists are equipped to ensure the safe use of oral anticancer agents in Japan. The results are similar to those previously reported for Canadian pharmacists, namely a low rate of positive responses for education in oncology and oral chemotherapy, demonstrating a similar need for additional education and training in oral chemotherapy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacy, National Cancer Center Hospital East, National Research and Development Agency, Kashiwa, Chiba, Japan.
authors.forename: Shinya
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Suzuki
authors.affiliation: Dr H. Bliss Murphy Cancer Center, St. John's, NF, Canada.
authors.forename: Rick
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Abbott
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacy, Keio University Hospital, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Hiroomi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sakurai
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacy, National Cancer Center Hospital East, National Research and Development Agency, Kashiwa, Chiba, Japan.
authors.forename: Kenji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kawasumi
authors.affiliation: Moffitt Cancer Center, Tampa, FL, USA.
authors.forename: Philip E
authors.initials: PE
authors.lastname: Johnson
authors.affiliation: Division of Head and Neck Medical Oncology, National Cancer Center Hospital East, National Research and Development Agency, Kashiwa, Chiba, Japan.
authors.forename: Makoto
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tahara
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacy, National Cancer Center Hospital East, National Research and Development Agency, Kashiwa, Chiba, Japan.
authors.forename: Masakazu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yamaguchi
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacy, National Cancer Center Hospital East, National Research and Development Agency, Kashiwa, Chiba, Japan.
authors.forename: Shinichiro
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Saito
authors.affiliation: University of Nebraska Medical Center, College of Pharmacy, Omaha, NE, USA.
authors.forename: Gary C
authors.initials: GC
authors.lastname: Yee
authors.affiliation: Drug Safety Management, Meiji Pharmaceutical University, Kiyose, Tokyo.|The Japanese Society of Hospital Pharmacists, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Kazushi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Endo
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000328:Adult; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003157:Community Pharmacy Services; D003710:Demography; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D010595:Pharmacists; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents
keywords: Japanese pharmacy; community pharmacy; oral anticancer agents; oral chemotherapy; questionnaire