From New Hampshire to Arizona, millions of American families are confronted by the impact of opioid addiction. It’s one of the few remaining bipartisan issues on which the U.S. Congress continues to agree. Its reach is pervasive, it’s an international and domestic issue, and it has led politicians to cross the aisle and work together. Finding initiatives and funding programs to enact real solutions has become a national priority, and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is earmarking nearly $400 million to fight the ongoing opioid epidemic.

The Hematology/Oncology Pharmacy Association (HOPA) and Oncology Nursing Society (ONS) have partnered to develop a joint position statement in advance of an upcoming compliance deadline for U.S. Pharmacopeia Chapter 800 (USP <800>).

A patient is rushed to the emergency room, diagnosed, and taken to surgery immediately. The patient recovers, but weeks later a bill arrives beyond any expectation, and too often ability, to be paid. This practice has become so routine that it has its own name: balance billing or, more commonly, surprise medical billing. It strikes many Americans with the burden of their ailment once again. 

As the youth smoking epidemic persists and illnesses related to vaping make the headlines, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is searching for solutions to combat the growing impact of new tobacco and nicotine products. After weeks of public outcry, FDA has doubled down on its regulatory stance, issuing several statements—including new warning letters to large tobacco companies—to reinforce its commitment to aggressive oversight and regulation of new tobacco products.

After years of confusion, discussion, debate, and dedicated advocacy work, lawmakers are finally understanding what palliative care is—symptom management, not hospice—and how it’s employed in care. The benefits of early palliative interventions for many diseases, including cancer, can improve quality of life for patients as they navigate their diagnoses.

Global radiation oncology research has seen an increased commitment to addressing disparities in the world and at home. The more radiation oncology proves and improves itself as a therapeutic modality, the more we are faced with the reality that the odds for survival are related to geography, poverty, education, and race.

The Oncology Nursing Society (ONS) periodical publications have been recognized for their commitment to excellence, with recent honors bestowed from Association Media and Publishing, Communication Concepts, and the American Society of Healthcare Publication Editors.

Because the liver is the primary site of metabolism for many drugs, baseline function testing and monitoring during cancer treatment are essential. However, the cause of an abnormal liver function test when a patient is receiving chemotherapy or immunotherapy can be difficult to determine. 

Venetoclax (Venclexta^®) was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration on May 15, 2019, for the treatment of adult patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) or small lymphocytic lymphoma (SLL) as a single agent or in combination therapy. Previously, it had been approved in late 2018 for use in combination therapy for acute myeloid leukemia (AML) in older adults or those with significant comorbidities.

With the 2020 election cycle kicking into high gear, upcoming presidential debates will continue to highlight health care as a major domestic issue. Downstream contests for House and Senate seats are also in play, and health care will serve a huge role in those campaigns, too. Candidates are offering a slew of different options like a new single-payer system, Medicare expansion, Medicare for All, Medicare for All with an additional buy-in program, and many other iterations.