Volume 28 | No.4 | April 2026 | | |
From Barry Goldspiel, ISOPP President
Dear
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I am honored to start my term as ISOPP President. I have been with ISOPP since the beginning, served on the Secretariat, and served as President from 2002 to 2004. I have watched ISOPP grow, much like a child would over the years. There was excitement at the birth in 1995, then there was the “terrible twos,” and the struggles as a teenager. Now, at 30 years old with over 5150 members from more than 140 countries, ISOPP is a mature adult and able to make decisions that influence oncology pharmacy practice around the world. I am keen to continue ISOPP’s 30th year celebration over the next year.
ISOPP would not have been able to get this far without the dedication of many volunteers over these 30 years. Most recently though, we should all take the opportunity to thank Netty for her leadership and devotion to ISOPP. We are fortunate that she will serve on the Secretariat for another year as Past-President to keep us on track with ensuring ISOPP’s growth. I would also like to thank Nick Duncan, Research Committee Chair, and Tara Leslie, Volunteer Coordinator, for their efforts over the last few years.
I am starting with ISOPP in a very good place, and I am challenged to further ISOPP’s growth. To achieve this challenge over the next few months, you can expect:
- A review of the Strategic Plan (2024-2027) and setting a plan for 2028-2031 to continue the 10-year vision (2024-2033)
- Re-issuing the call for volunteers
- Starting a new feature to highlight member accomplishments on the ISOPP website and in the Newsletter
- Expanded support for Regional Oncology Pharmacy Societies
- An announcement for the 2027 and 2028 Symposia
ISOPP relies on your active involvement to further oncology pharmacy practice and meet the challenges facing patients with cancer. I am always available to hear your thoughts about what ISOPP should be doing to accomplish its mission: Advancing Oncology Pharmacy Care for Patient Around the World.
Warmly,
| | ISOPP 30th Anniversary Virtual Symposium | | |
The ISOPP International Symposium 2026 was a truly outstanding and memorable event, bringing together oncology pharmacy professionals from across the globe in a vibrant 24-hour virtual celebration. Marking 30 years of international collaboration, the Symposium featured a diverse and engaging programme of sessions that highlighted innovation, shared expertise, and the strength of our global community.
It was fantastic to see such strong attendance, with participants and speakers representing a wide range of countries, backgrounds, and perspectives, enriching discussions and fostering meaningful connections. The energy and enthusiasm throughout the event were a testament to the dedication of our profession.
Participants can continue to benefit from the Symposium, with on-demand content and recorded sessions available to access until May 15.
To access on demand (link button to https://www.isopp.org/isopp-international-symposium-2026)
We are now looking ahead to 2027 with great anticipation, and more information will be shared soon.
| | ISOPP Annual General Meeting 2026 | | View the AGM agenda, 2025 AGM minutes and Annual Report in the member section of the ISOPP website under Society Documents (see green bar at the very top of the website page once logged in). 2026 Minutes to be posted shortly. | |
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New 2026-2027 Secretariat (Incoming)
Congratulations!
| | New Members Meeting with ISOPP Management | | |
New to ISOPP? Welcome!
Have you just recently joined ISOPP?
Meet the President, Past President and other ISOPP Leaders.
Save the Date – Upcoming Meetings
Wednesday, June 3, 2026, at 09:00 PT
Click here for the local time of the meeting for you.
Wednesday, November 11, 2026, at 10:00 PT
Click here for the local time of the meeting for you.
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New ISOPP E-Learning:
Understanding SACT and Cytotoxic Risks
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Systemic Anti-Cancer Therapy (SACT) and other cytotoxic drugs are critical in cancer treatment but pose serious occupational and environmental risks if not handled properly. Healthcare systems in Low- and Middle-Income Countries (LMICs) often lack the infrastructure, resources, and training necessary to mitigate these risks.
This course is designed to provide healthcare professionals with essential knowledge and practical guidance for the safe handling, storage, administration, and disposal of systemic anti-cancer therapy (SACT) and cytotoxic agents, in order to protect patients, staff, and the environment from harmful exposure.
Access to the program is complimentary for ISOPP members.
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Representing ISOPP at the NCODA Global Oncology & Haematology Congress
By Lynne Nakashima, BSc(Pharm), PharmD, FCAPhO, FISOPP
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I was honoured to represent ISOPP at the Network for Collaborative Oncology Development and Advancement (NCODA) Global Oncology & Haematology Congress, held March 11-12, 2026 in Dublin, Ireland.
This international meeting was designed to unite leaders in oncology for two days of collaboration and innovation in patient-centered cancer care. It was a global professional network, bringing together an interdisciplinary group of health care professionals and industry partners from over 20 different countries.
The topics were rich and diverse with thought-provoking discussions. I was paired with Michael Ganio from the American Society for Health System Pharmacists (ASHP) to speak on the topic of Sustainable Oncology: Innovative Solutions to Global Drug Shortages. Michael provided a perspective on the global problem while I focused on some of the strategies for coping with drug shortages. This is an ongoing concern for all of us, and the audience engagement in the topic demonstrated that the concerns are widespread. Other topics of particular interest include AI driven cancer care, oncology from every angle: regulatory, clinical and commercialization and care closer to home initiatives. It was also interesting to hear the perspective of the pharmaceutical representatives on the challenges of bringing medications to the market in a rapidly changing environment. I thought the program was very strong and the speakers were excellent.
There were many opportunities to meet new and old colleagues from around the world, and it was a pleasure to share ideas and chat with so many incredible people. It was also fun to meet other ISOPP members! I also took a couple of extra days to spend some time enjoying Dublin, which is full of history and amazing architecture. If you are ever there, do stop by Sweny’s Pharmacy. It is the Pharmacy made famous by James Joyce in his book, Ulysees, when the fictional Leopold Bloom visits Sweny’s pharmacy to pick up a prescription and while there, he buys a bar of lemon soap, which becomes his lucky charm. Today, it is no longer a pharmacy, but rather, a bookstore and a landmark, but you can still buy a bar of lemon soap!
Thank you to ISOPP and NCODA for this amazing experience and opportunity and hopefully, ISOPP can again participate next year!
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ISOPP/JOPP Oncology Pharmacy Research
Best Paper Award 2026 WINNER
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Alexandre Chan (USA)
Citation: Sarpas S, Ng DQ, Arcos D, Chan A. Pharmacist-led interventions associated with symptoms identified by electronic patient-reported outcome battery: A descriptive study. J Oncol Pharm Pract. 2025 May 13:10781552251340922. doi: 10.1177/10781552251340922.
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ISOPP/JOPP Oncology Pharmacy Practice
Best Paper Award 2026 WINNER
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Shirin Abadi (Canada)
Citation: Abadi S, Pool A, Tinker A, Wang Y, Crameri A, Jang D. Collaborative team-based care implementation in ambulatory gynecological and lung cancer clinics. J Oncol Pharm Pract. 2025 Jun 24:10781552251351324.
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Sarah Glewis, Australia
This award recognizes Sarah’s outstanding leadership, innovation, and sustained contributions to advancing oncology pharmacy practice through pharmacogenomics implementation, clinical trials, education, and policy change. Specifically, she led Australia’s first pharmacogenomics-guided chemotherapy trials, impacting national reimbursement policy for pharmacogenomics and pre-emptive DPYD and UGT1A1 testing; thereby impacting the safe delivery of fluoropyrimidine and irinotecan chemotherapy in Australia and internationally.
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Adimi Asmaa, Algeria
In recognition of her exceptional and sustained contributions to oncology pharmacy practice, capacity building, and cancer patient care locally and at the national level in Algeria. Dr. Asmaa is responsible for developing the first centralized safe chemotherapy preparation unit that others have been modeled after. Additionally, Dr. Asmaa has led capacity building and education efforts to prepare other healthcare professionals in oncology pharmacy practice, oncovigilance, therapeutic patient education, and best practices for the reconstitution and administration of anticancer drug. Based on this expertise, she was appointed as the Director of the Directorate for the Promotion of Pharmaceutical Production at the national level, improving the safety of anticancer therapy production nationwide.
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Volunteer recruitment for the 2026-27 year is open!
Volunteer Process:
Complete the volunteer form here
Email your CV to volunteer@isopp.org
Eligible members will be contacted via email to sign up for a meeting to discuss opportunities.
| Call for JOPP Reviewers and Featured JOPP Articles | |
If you are interested in serving as a reviewer for JOPP submissions, please send an email to Barry Goldspiel (joppeditor@isopp.org) with a short description of your reviewer experience and a copy of your curriculum vitae.
If you have published a paper in JOPP and would like that paper featured in the ISOPP Newsletter, please send the citation and a 1 to 3 sentence description of the importance of your paper to joppeditor@isopp.org
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Barry Goldspiel
ISOPP President
Journal of Oncology Pharmacy Practice Editor
president@isopp.org
| | The ISOPP website provides a valuable platform for global collaboration, knowledge sharing, and staying up to date with challenges and developments in oncology pharmacy practice. Members are encouraged to make full use of the ISOPP Discussion Forum, where you can participate in topic‑specific conversations, ask questions, and learn from colleagues around the world. By subscribing to a forum or individual topics, you will receive email notifications whenever new posts or responses are added, making it easy to stay informed and engaged. The more members subscribe and participate, the more diverse and useful the discussion forum becomes for everyone. | | |
Tiffany Chan
ISOPP E&C Committee
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A Day in the Life of an Oncology Pharmacist in Kenya
By Amsalu Defersha
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Although I am currently based in an academic institution in Kenya, I participate in a weekly oncology ward round session at a teaching hospital. Each visit is both professionally meaningful and emotionally challenging. During these sessions, we encounter patients facing not only the physical burden of cancer but also profound psychological distress. Many patients experience significant trauma related to their diagnosis, and unfortunately, some are unable to access treatment due to financial constraints. This reality is particularly difficult to witness as a healthcare provider.
In many instances, we see cases of late diagnosis, where therapeutic options are limited, and the prognosis is poor. When reviewing patient histories, it becomes evident that a large proportion of patients lack awareness about cancer risk factors and the importance of early screening. Preventive health education remains a major gap. These experiences highlight a concerning trend: cancer appears to be increasingly prevalent in the African setting, a shift from what was observed in the past. As a team, we often reflect on the underlying factors contributing to this rising burden, ranging from lifestyle changes to environmental exposures within a context where resources are limited and access to advanced diagnostic and treatment options is constrained.
Working in oncology pharmacy in such a setting is a constant reminder of the urgent need for improved awareness, early detection strategies, and equitable access to care. Each visit leaves me with more questions than answers. And yet, there is also purpose. In every counselling session, every medication review, every small intervention, there is an opportunity to make a difference; however small it may seem. Being an oncology pharmacist here is not just about medicines; it is about standing at the intersection of science and humanity, doing what we can with what we have.
At the end of the day, I return to my academic role, but the faces, the stories, and the unanswered questions stay with me. They shape how I teach, how I research, and how I see the role of pharmacy in addressing one of the growing health challenges in our setting.
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Thank you for reading this edition of the ISOPP Newsletter.
Kind Regards
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Busayo Abolarin
ISOPP Engagement and Communications Committee
Newsletter Editor
newsletter@isopp.org
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ISOPP's Society and Symposium Management Office
Sea to Sky, an MCI Company is ISOPP's Society and Symposium Management Office. We support ISOPP’s volunteer leadership (Secretariat, its Committees, Task Forces and Work Groups), its members and other stakeholders to help achieve ISOPP’s mission to advance oncology pharmacy care for patients around the world. If you have any questions about membership, services, Symposium or the Society, please contact the ISOPP Office directly as follows:
Email: membership@isopp.org
Direct: +1-604-984-6455
MCI Canada, 555 Burrard Street, 1st Floor
Vancouver, BC, Canada V7X 1M8
www.seatoskymeetings.com
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