Introduction to First Edition: Progress in Supportive Care Medicine and Hematopoietic Cell Transplant and Cellular Therapy

Following primary infection, herpesviruses establish latency in infected individuals in the host cells and may reactivate upon external stimuli and during periods of immunosuppression. The objective of this paper was to the present current strategies on preventive and therapeutic management of infections with herpesviruses in recipients of hematopoietic cell transplantation. Strategies of antiviral management include prophylaxis, pre-emptive treatment and targeted treatment. Empirical therapy is not used in antiviral strategies. Prophylaxis can be done at universal (preventive strategy) and specific level. Universal prophylaxis includes non-pharmacologic methods of prevention of infection or reactivation. Risk-adapted specific prophylaxis includes use of specific antivirals or cellular therapy or other specific methods in order to prevent specific infection, in high-risk groups. Pre-emptive therapy means use of therapeutic approaches in asymptomatic infection, detected by a screening assay. Targeted therapy is used in established specific viral end-organ infections. The following sections of the paper refer to prophylaxis and treatment strategies, respectively, against CMV, EBV, HSV, VZV, HHV-6, HHV-7, and HHV-8 after allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation.

Download Full-text

The Hematopoietic Cell Transplant Pharmacist: A Call to Action

Pharmacy ◽

10.3390/pharmacy8010003 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 8 (1) ◽

pp. 3 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Amber Clemmons

Keyword(s):

Cellular Therapy ◽

Pharmacy Practice ◽

Hematopoietic Cell ◽

Cell Transplant ◽

Hematopoietic Cell Transplant ◽

Call To Action ◽

American Society ◽

State Of The Science ◽

Available Information ◽

The Impact

Recently, the required training and credentials for as well as the various roles of the hematopoietic cell transplant (HCT) pharmacist have been endorsed by the leading organizations in cellular therapy, the American Society of Transplant and Cellular Therapy and the European Society of Blood and Bone Marrow Transplantation. While these documents establish the roles a HCT pharmacist can fulfill within the multi-disciplinary team, few reports have evaluated the impact of the HCT pharmacist on clinical, financial, or quality outcomes. Further, a paucity of information has been reported on types of practice models, such as the use of collaborative practice agreements, or described effective methods to overcome the barriers to the increased utilization of HCT pharmacists. Herein, a brief summary of available information is provided to aid readers in understanding the state of the science for pharmacists practicing in this specialty with the goal to stimulate further research to justify the roles of HCT pharmacists and the correlation of such research to various outcome measures. Practitioners are encouraged to build upon this existing knowledge to create the novel integration and elevation of pharmacy practice to improve outcomes for patients, providers, and payors.

Download Full-text