Anticancer drug waste minimization and cost-saving study by using a closed-system transfer device for chemotherapy...

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Pharmacoeconomics
• Drug Compounding

Background:

• Chemotherapy compounding requires economic evaluation, particularly in resource-constrained settings.
• Need for assessing the economic impact of Closed System Drug Transfer Devices (CSTDs).

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess cost savings from managing cancer drug leftovers before and after CSTD introduction.
• To evaluate the impact of extended beyond-use dates (BUDs) on drug wastage.
• To estimate drug waste minimization rates with CSTD use.

Main Methods:

• Prospective, single-center study comparing conventional systems with CSTD (Chemoclave®).
• Two two-month periods evaluated drug savings and waste.
• Drug waste minimization rate calculated against potential waste.

Main Results:

• Drug savings increased from 10.3% (conventional) to 15.2% (CSTD).
• Drug waste decreased from 18.7% (conventional) to 6.4% (CSTD).
• CSTD use resulted in an overall deficit of $7,444.95, with waste minimization saving an average of 72.5%.

Conclusions:

• CSTDs reduced waste due to extended BUDs without generating economic profit.
• Economic evaluation is crucial for CSTD implementation in chemotherapy compounding.