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Community Oncology Alliance Releases Position Statement Opposing Home Infusion in Cancer Care

COA Recognizes Potential for Home Infusion with Certain Diseases and Drugs, but Opposes it for Cancer Due to Patient Safety from Adverse Drug Reactions

Home infusion negates the benefits of the expertise and team approach to cancer care, within facilities specifically designed for safe and effective cancer drug infusions.”
— Community Oncology Alliance

WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, UNITED STATES, April 9, 2020 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Today, the Community Oncology Alliance (COA) Board of Directors released a position statement opposing the home infusion of chemotherapy, cancer immunotherapy, and cancer treatment supportive drugs because of serious patient safety concerns.

The home infusion of cancer treatments by a provider who may not be a trained oncology nurse and may not recognize or be prepared to treat any of the serious adverse reactions that frequently occur is of significant concern. Many of the side effects caused by cancer treatment can have a rapid, unpredictable onset that places patients in incredible jeopardy and can even be life-threatening. Home infusion negates the benefits of the expertise and team approach to cancer care, which are the hallmarks of community oncology, within facilities specifically designed for safe and effective cancer drug infusions.

- Access the COA Home Infusion Position Statement here: https://communityoncology.org/coas-position-statement-on-home-infusion/

The COVID-19 (novel coronavirus) pandemic has forced all health care providers and care settings to dramatically adjust operations. Independent, community oncology practices have quickly adapted and are taking extreme measures to keep their facilities and providers COVID-19 free so that their patients in active treatment can be assured of a safe environment. The recent, major expansion of telehealth services and relaxation of regulations has provided oncologists with a powerful tool to do this by monitoring patients and ensuring that only those that are in urgent need of treatment come into the practice.

The COA home infusion position statement notes that there are other medical specialties and diseases where the infusion of Medicare Part B drugs at home may be reasonable during the COVID-19 pandemic. As such, the position is currently limited to opposition for the home infusion of cancer treatments.

COA is committed to developing and maintaining formal position statements on key issues that impact access to local, affordable cancer care. Each of COA’s formal position statements provides background, history, and detail on a key issue affecting cancer care. Issues covered to date include the 340B Drug Pricing Program, “Fail-First” Step Therapy, In-Office Dispensing, Oral Parity, Site Parity, White & Brown Bagging, and Biosimilars. Many cover issues that are part of legislation or policy under consideration by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), the United States Congress, state governments, and others.

A complete version of every COA Position Statement is available online at https://communityoncology.org/category/position-statements/.

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About the Community Oncology Alliance (COA): The majority of Americans battling cancer receive treatment in the community oncology setting. Keeping patients close to their homes, families, and support networks lessens the impact of this devastating disease. Community oncology practices do this while delivering high-quality, cutting-edge cancer care at a fraction of the cost of the hospital setting. The Community Oncology Alliance (COA) advocates for community oncology and smart public policy that ensures the community cancer care system remains healthy and able to provide all Americans with access to local, quality, affordable cancer care. Learn more at www.CommunityOncology.org.

Nicolas Ferreyros
Community Oncology Alliance
+1 2027298147
email us here

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