Grant enables expansion of vaccine decision tool for healthcare professionals tailored to cancer patients’ needs
A research team at the University of Waterloo School of Pharmacy are advancing cancer care through a new grant from the Ontario Institute for Cancer Research (OICR). Over $189,000 has been awarded from OICR to support innovative research to turn scientific discoveries into tools for more effective care.
Cancer and its treatments can often impact a person’s immune system, leaving patients vulnerable to vaccine-preventable diseases. Researchers have found that many healthcare professionals find it challenging to implement a thorough vaccine review into practice due to the complexities in eligibility and access.
The grant money will be used to expand the VaxCheck program, a clinical decision tool that helps healthcare professionals identify vaccines that patients may benefit from, considering this population’s risk of vaccine-preventable diseases and the optimal timing and use of vaccines alongside treatments for cancer.
“We hope that this research will result in a VaxCheck program that is ready for use by various health professionals and that supports the unique needs of people with cancer,” says Sherilyn Houle, associate professor, School of Pharmacy.
Extend Pharmacy in Ottawa, a partner that specializes in oncology care, will pilot the updated VaxCheck tool. Their pharmacists will refine the VaxCheck program and apply it to real-world situations to test its usability and effectiveness at identifying and offering vaccines their patients may benefit from and providing patient education on vaccination that is compassionate, personalized, and easy to understand. The data collected will inform future updates and best practices for other pharmacies who wish to incorporate the program into their care process.
The researchers also aim to learn about the factors that people with cancer consider when making decisions around vaccination, to support the development of resources to answer these questions and support their decision-making. They are also aiming to make the program more widely available to other settings and health professionals who provide care for people with cancer.