[Reform of early access program in France: Impact on workload in a pharmacy and risk identification]

The reform of derogatory access authorisations (DAs) on 1st July 2021 has distorted the routine of the hospital pharmacists dealing with innovative medicines that are waiting for marketing authorization or approval. There are two distinct categories of DAs: Compassionate Access Authorisations (CAAs) are granted by the French National Agency for the Safety of Medicines (ANSM) while Early Access Authorisations (EAPs) are granted at the request of pharmaceutical companies by the French National Authority for Health (HAS). All AAPs and a majority of the AACs are supported by a Protocol for Therapeutic Use and Data Collection (PTU-DC). The aim of this study is to assess the impact of the reform on pharmacy process one year following its implementation, and to identify the risks related to the new circuits. The working group, composed of three pharmacists carried out an initial assessment of the effects first measured the impact of the reform on medicine processes in DAs. They performed a comparison of the changes in their management methods: 3 months prior to the reform (M0), and 3 (M3) and 12 months (M12) post-reform. Risks analysis was conducted using the Failure Modes, Effects and Criticality Analysis (FMEA) method. The analysis was limited to the process steps specific related to DAs drugs were analyzed. The critical severity of the risk situations identified was rated. A critical hierarchy matrix was used to establish priority actions. The priority actions to be taken were determined using the critical hierarchy matrix. Over the span of one year, the number of DAs in our establishment showed a 31.7% increase, from 41 at M0 to 54 at M12. At M0, the proportion of drugs needed inclusion via a drug-specific digital platform, specific to each drug, stood at 27% (11/41) of drugs at M0 while at M12, it rose to 52% (28/54). The percentage of PTU-DCs therefore increased by a factor of 1.7, rising from 29% (12/41) at M0 to 47% (21/45) at M3 and 60% (32/54) at M12. For orders, which are always nominative, approval depends on both the presence of the PTU-DC tracking sheet being present in 12% of PAAs, and the inclusion number in 26% of PAAs. The risk analysis shows 49 failure modes leading to risk situations. Among the failure modes, 36 have a consequence of acceptable or tolerable criticality under control, whilst 13 are deemed of unacceptable criticality. A suitable control method exists has been identifies for 5 of them. Finally, the ranking evaluation of criticalities has highlighted 4 situations which require immediate action as a priority: delivery times, obtaining completed tracking sheets and ordering procedures. The aim of the DAs reform is to simplify access to innovative medicines. However, the reform has significant and damaging repercussions on pharmaceutical activities. Corrective measures need to be taken in conjunction with all parties involved in the circuits including laboratories and service providers (CROs), authorities and healthcare professionals.