PHARMACY RESEARCH

Supporting the clinical services of the pharmacy, our comprehensive research program aims to;

  • Improve the knowledge base for safe and effective use of medicines, including predicting and improving the way that medicines work (pharmacogenomics, pharmacology and pharmacodynamics) and how they are handled in the body (pharmacokinetics),
  • Improve safety systems for medicines use,
  • Improve information for patients and clinicians about cancer medicines,
  • Develop, implement and evaluate innovative roles for pharmacists and pharmacy related technologies, and
  • Determine and improve cost-effective use of medicines (pharmaco-economics).

RESEARCH FOCUS

Our research focuses on;

  • Developing and implementing consensus guidelines for the management of cancer and supportive care
  • Redesigning processes relating to the efficient and effective delivery of pharmacy services, including implementing and evaluating new services
  • Developing systems to support patients’ decisions about using complementary and alternative medicines
  • Reviewing patient outcomes related to the introduction of novel therapies (retrospective review of medication access programs)
  • Development and piloting education packages for high-risk medicines.

RESEARCH PROJECTS

Current

  • An audit of methdone initiation in cancer patients at Peter Mac: Looking at patient characteristics and outcomes over a 2 year period from 2011-2013
  • Pancreatitis and vascular events in patient who have received Ponatinib or Nilotinib: A retrospective review
  • Review of oral Fosfomycin use for infections in cancer patients
  • Review of oral Cephalexin prescribing at Peter Mac post-surgical procedures
  • Evaluation of patient self-administration of pre-operative analgesia in major colorectal oncology surgery to reduce acute and chronic post-surgical pain.
  • Retrospective audit of the use of compassionate access medicines for treatment of haematological malignancies with skin manifestation at the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre.
  • PBS hospital medication chart pilot study
  • Measuring and improving cancer patients’ self-efficacy in understanding and using their prescription medication at Peter Mac.

CONTACT

Mr Senthil Lingaratnam

Director of Pharmacy

Email: senthil.lingaratnam@petermac.org