Abstract
OBJECTIVE: Drug-related problems (DRPs) hinder patients from fully benefiting from pharmacotherapy, with persistent pain in cancer patients remaining a significant issue. This study aimed to evaluate the clinical outcomes and medication cost changes resulting from pharmacists' interventions in managing DRPs associated with cancer pain. METHODS: A randomized controlled study was conducted in a scholarly medical institution. Hospitalized cancer patients experiencing pain were randomly assigned to either the Intervention Category (IC) or Control Category (CC). The Pharmaceutical Care Network Europe (PCNE) classification system was utilized to categorize DRPs related to analgesic use. Pharmacists conducted assessments focusing on pain relief, incidence of adverse drug reactions (ADRs), and cost savings from DRP resolutions. Data on DRP types, causes, proposed interventions, and outcomes of pharmacist recommendations were collected and analyzed. RESULTS: A total of 180 participants were enrolled and evenly distributed between the IC and CC groups. In the IC, pharmacists identified 68 DRPs in 49 participants, averaging 0.8 DRPs per patient. A total of 150 pharmacist-led interventions were proposed. By the third day of treatment, the IC demonstrated significantly greater analgesic relief compared to the CC. Additionally, 35 DRP interventions in the IC led to measurable cost reductions. CONCLUSION: Pharmacist-led interventions for cancer patients experiencing pain effectively addressed drug-related problems, enhanced pain management, and contributed to reduced medication costs. Integrating clinical pharmacy services into cancer pain management can lead to improved therapeutic outcomes and resource optimization.