New Drugs and Drug News: The 411 and Palliative Care Implications

Up to 100 new drugs and dosage formulations are approved every year by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Some of these are new molecular entities, while others are new formulations, new indications, generic drug approvals or labeling revisions. Even if a drug is a "new" molecular entity, it may not be "improved" over molecular entities already commercially available. In caring for patients with advanced illnesses, practitioners must make prudent drug therapy choices. Part of this decision-making process is a careful assessment of the burden-to-benefit ratio, including the financial burden of using each medication. For relevant drugs approved in 2016, participants will learn about the FDA-approved indication for using the medication, unapproved uses of the medication (particularly as it applies to palliative care patients), if it is a controlled substance and the schedule (if appropriate), adverse effects, major drug interactions, dosing, and financial implications of drug procurement and monitoring if relevant. This is a session every health care professional needs to attend!