Subject Matter Expertise

HOPA takes pride in our members and their valuable contributions to the field of hematology/oncology pharmacy. See some of our member-experts in action below.

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Pharmacy Practice in Focus: Oncology

(Oct. 31, 2024) The Needs of One Are the Needs of Many: Everyone Counts in Health Care

In this Pharmacy Times article, Joseph A. Kalis, PharmD, BCOP, writes about a specific experience with a BPDCN diagnosis that highlighted the challenges of accessing uncommon drugs, the notion that every patient matters, and the importance of balancing both humility and hubris in oncology to help lighten the burdens of others.

Read the full article on Pharmacy Times.


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Pharmacists at the Forefront

(Oct 15, 2024) The Evolving Landscape of Bispecific Antibodies in Cancer Care

Zahra Mahmoudjafari, PharmD, MBA, BCOP, FHOPA, succeeds Lisa E. Davis, PharmD, FCCP, BCPS, BCOP, as editor in chief of Pharmacy Practice in Focus: Oncology.

Here, Zahra provides a summer conference roundup, especially as it relates to bispecific antibodies in cancer care.

Read or listen to the article on Pharmacy Times.


Women Pharmacists Day

(Oct 12, 2024) Recognizing the Role of Women in Improving Patient Care Access

In an interview with Pharmacy Times, Jolynn Sessions, PharmD, BCOP, FHOPA, clinical pharmacist and president of the Hematology Oncology Pharmacy Association (HOPA), shared her experience working in pharmacy. She also shared why it is important to recognize and support women in the pharmacy profession.

Watch the 6:21 video or visit Pharmacy Times to read the transcript.


Cultural Competency

(June 27, 2024) Having Conversations and Practicing Cultural Competency With LGBTQIA+ Patients

"If you go out there and Google 'cultural competency in health care,' you're going to see a lot of different definitions for it. But what it comes down to, at its core, it is being respectful and responsive for the patients' needs and beliefs," says Tad Autry, PharmD, in this Pharmacy Times interview.

Total run time is 13:32. You can also visit Pharmacy Times to read the transcript.


Women Pharmacists Day

(Oct 12, 2023) Mentorship in Oncology Pharmacy Has an Impact

Leanne Kennedy

HOPA President LeAnne Kennedy discusses the importance of mentorship in oncology pharmacy as well as the value of HOPA’s mentorship initiatives.

Pharmacy Times spoke to LeAnne as part of their celebration of Women Pharmacist Day.

Among other takeaways, in the interview LeAnne says, "One of the things that I love to do is to train other people. To see that light, when they get it—when you're explaining a clinical practice subject, and that lightbulb goes off—I think that's so exciting, then to see that as they get involved within HOPA."


Experts: The Hematology-Oncology Pharmacist Great Migration Is Caused by Issues Outside of Burnout That Could Be Quickly Addressed

Zahra Mahmoudjafari, PharmD, BCOP, DPLA; Alison Gulbis, PharmD, BCOP; and Kamakshi Rao, PharmD, BCOP, FASHP, discuss the underlying causes of the hematology-oncology pharmacist great migration from the field.


National Survey on the Effect of Oncology Drug Shortages in Clinical Practice: A Hematology Oncology Pharmacy Association Survey

Ali McBride , PharmD1,2; Sarah Hudson-DiSalle, PharmD3; Jeff Pilz , PharmD3; Mark Hamm, PharmD4; Brooke Boring, MPH5; Larry W. Buie, PharmD6; and David L. DeRemer , PharmD7,8

The purpose of this survey was to characterize the impact of oncology drug shortages across the United States, including the experiences of health care organizations, resource implications, and the impact on patient safety, patient care, and clinical trials.

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HOPA Provides Plan to Address Oncology Drug Shortages

Experts discuss insight from a recently published oncology drug shortages research project and HOPA’s plan to address related issues based on the project’s findings.

Pharmacy Times interviewed Sarah Hudson-Disalle, PharmD, RPh, pharmacy manager in the Department of Pharmacy at the Ohio State Wexner Medical Center and chair of the Public Policy Committee at the Hematology/Oncology Pharmacy Association (HOPA), and Jeffrey Pilz, PharmD, MPA, MS, BCPS, assistant director of pharmacy – medication safety and drug policy in the Department of Pharmacy at the Ohio State Wexner Medical Center and vice chair of the Public Policy Committee at the HOPA, on HOPA’s oncology drug shortages research project.