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Vancouver, BC (July 8, 2021) – The International Society of Oncology Pharmacy Practitioners (ISOPP) is pleased to announce the publication of its “Position Statement: Role of the oncology pharmacy team in cancer care” in the Journal of Oncology Pharmacy Practice (JOPP).

The Position Statement describes the roles of oncology pharmacists and technicians in cancer patient care and provides information that promotes advocacy, especially for countries where the profession has not yet recognized oncology pharmacy as a specialty.

ISOPP developed the Position Statement to provide guidance on five key areas: 1) oncology pharmacy practice as a pharmacy specialty; 2) contributions to patient care; 3) oncology pharmacy practice management; 4) education and training; and 5) contributions to oncology research and quality initiatives to involve the oncology pharmacy team (OPT).

The Position Statement advocates that: 1) the OPT be fully incorporated into the multidisciplinary healthcare team to optimize patient care; 2) educational and healthcare institutions develop programs to continually educate OPT members; and 3) regulatory authorities develop certification programs to recognize the unique contributions of the OPT in cancer patient care.

View the Position Statement at: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/10781552211017199

ISOPP thanks the 23 ISOPP members, led by co-chairs Barry Goldspiel and Lisa Holle, representing 10 countries for writing the Position Statement.

The ASCO Leadership Development Program for the Asia-Pacific region (LDP-AP) teaches culturally-relevant skills in leadership, advocacy, communication, presentation skills, media skills, and conflict management. Participants will be selected based on their commitment to improving cancer care and potential for leadership. At the conclusion of the program, participants will be better able to lead successful advocacy efforts, to build relationships with leaders within their countries, and to lead within their own societies, institutions, and ASCO.

Program Objective – Bring together a diverse pan-Asian interdisciplinary group of emerging leaders in oncology who are empowered to identify and fill leadership roles in oncology, to engage in advocacy efforts, and to promote interdisciplinary collaboration across the region and within ASCO.

Program Highlights Participants will learn skills through both virtual and in-person sessions. They will participate actively in small group discussions, small group projects, and a 2-3 day in person workshop.

To apply for the ASCO Leadership Development Program Asia Pacific, applicants must:

• Be an ASCO Member (or submit a membership application in conjunction with the application)
• Commit to participating in monthly virtual learning sessions, small group projects, and one in-person workshop to be held August 25-27 in Japan.
• Meet English language fluency requirements

NOTE: The Leadership Development Program Asia Pacific includes mandatory participation in the in-person workshop to be held at the Breakthrough Meeting in Yokohama, Japan, August 25-27, 2022. Travel expenses for participants will be provided.

Key Dates

Online Application Open: May 18, 2021
Application Due: June 30, 2021
Notifications: September 10, 2021
Program Period: November 2021 - November 2022
In-person Seminar: August 25-27, 2022 (Breakthrough in Yokohama Japan)

If you have questions about the ASCO Leadership Development Program Asia Pacific, please email international@asco.org.

Applications are now open for the RACP Foundation Research Awards, which provide research funding for 2022. Up to 50 awards up to a total value of $2.5 million and are available to RACP Fellows and trainees from Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand.

Funding is available in the following categories:

• Career Development Fellowships for established researchers
• Research Establishment Fellowships for those establishing their research careers
• Research Entry Scholarships providing stipend support for those at the beginning their research careers.

Applications for Education Development Grantsfor funding in 2021 and Research Development Scholarships and Travel Grants for funding in 2022 will open Monday, 1 June 2021.

Awards which may be of interest for your members include:

• Arnott Research Entry Scholarship in Cancer Research
• The Servier Staff "Barry Young" Research Establishment Fellowship
• RACP GSK Research Establishment Fellowship

Full details for these opportunities including eligibility and application closing dates are available on the RACP Foundation Research Awards webpage.

Please forward this email to colleagues who may be interested in applying for these or the other awards available.

Should you have any questions, please email us.

This issue includes research reporting that patients who relapse after adjuvant targeted therapy for BRAFmutated stage III melanoma respond well to subsequent anti-PD-1-based therapy with outcomes similar to those seen with first-line anti-PD-1 therapy for stage IV melanoma. We have also included a long-term safety report from three of the KEYNOTE trials of pembrolizumab monotherapy for melanoma. Research conducted in participants from a dermoscopy masterclass found that the accuracy of diagnosing lentigo maligna improved after they were trained in the inverse approach, added to the classic pattern analysis. This issue concludes with an Australian study investigating discrepancies between biopsy results and final excised specimens in keratinocyte carcinomas.

We hope you enjoy the research selected, and we look forward to your comments and feedback.

Kind regards,
Dr Annie Wong

We invite Maori and non-Maori healthcare professionals who have provided care for patients with cancer to take part in a brief online survey. iPad Mini up for grabs.

Click here to start the survey.

Please note that the Academy Executive Committee is focused on increasing the diversity of nominations from under-represented groups, particularly with respect to gender, ethnicity and employment context, from Crown Research Institutes and Independent Research organisations.