Dr. McBride Discusses Financial Toxicity in Oncology

Ali McBride, PharmD, MS, BCOP, Clinical Coordinator of Hematology/Oncology, The University of Arizona Cancer Center, and President-Elect of the Association of Community Cancer Centers (ACCC), discusses financial toxicities for patients with cancer.

Over the last decade, there has been a change in cost for patients with cancer. For example, the cost of chemotherapy has quadrupled, and continues to increase. Financial toxicity and bankruptcy have been talked about with patients directly, which McBride says is causing a lot of issues. The patient alone must then decide between housing costs and chemotherapy, as well as caretaker payment, work, and insurance. This overall increase in cost has not only affected the patient, but institutions and the US healthcare system, McBride explains.

This discussion of financial toxicity has brought about a new role in the treatment course for a patient. This role is addressing chemotherapy, patient support, and evaluating foundational support and grant systems. McBride says that people in this role are called financial advocates, and they are responsible for developing resources for the patient. Historically, there has been a lack of guidelines in this area, but ACCC has developed the financial advocate guidelines to define the role in the health system.