About the Editor in Chief
Zahra Mahmoudjafari, PharmD, MBA, BCOP, FHOPA, is a clinical pharmacy manager in the Blood and Marrow Transplant Program in the Division of Hematologic Malignancies and Cellular Therapeutics at the University of Kansas Cancer Center in Kansas City, Kansas. Mahmoudjafari is a board-certified oncology pharmacist involved in several oncology-pharmacy organizations, such as the Hematology/Oncology Pharmacy Association (HOPA), currently serving as secretary on the HOPA board of directors. She has also been the chair or cochair of conferences such as Advanced Topics for Oncology Pharmacy Professionals and Oncology Pharmacists Connect. In 2022, she was the recipient of the American Society for Transplantation and Cellular Therapy Pharmacy Special Interest Group Lifetime Achievement Award and received the American Society of Clinical Oncology’s 40 Under 40 in Cancer Award.
Mahmoudjafari has presented nationally on her experience with managing high-cost therapies and on clinical topics such as cell and gene therapies, acute and chronic graft-vs-host disease, and the management of fungal infections in hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. Mahmoudjafari completed her pharmacy training at the University of Missouri-Kansas City (UMKC) and her PGY-1 pharmacy practice residency at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center. She completed her PGY-2 oncology residency at Huntsman Cancer Institute at the University of Utah and most recently received her MBA from Henry W. Bloch School of Management, which is affiliated with UMKC.
As we close out 2024, I cannot help but reflect on the past year. One of my best memories was attending the Hematology/Oncology Pharmacy Association (HOPA) Hill Day in September. Hill Day is when we, as pharmacists, step out of our usual roles in clinics, hospitals, or research settings to engage directly with policy makers. Walking into a congressional office to discuss complex health care policies can feel intimidating for many participants, including me. Sometimes, this is not second nature, and distilling nuanced pharmacy and oncology issues into concise, compelling messages for a nonexpert audience can be challenging. Yet, as I stood alongside my HOPA colleagues and shared our collective passion for improving oncology care, the initial nervousness gave way to empowerment.
Advocacy is about connection—with lawmakers and with each other, as well as connecting our knowledge to the broader health care landscape. During Hill Day, we focused on critical issues impacting oncology care, including access to affordable medications, the role of the pharmacist in interdisciplinary teams, and the importance of funding for cancer research. Our collective goals were not only to educate but also to inspire action. Hill Day reinforced the importance of advocating for policies that elevate the role of pharmacists in oncology care. We shared with lawmakers how pharmacists contribute to better patient outcomes by managing complex medication regimens, mitigating adverse effects, and providing critical education. Yet, despite our expertise, many of us still face barriers to practicing at the top of our license due to state and federal regulations. I was pleasantly surprised to see the engagement of the various staffers in both the US House of Representatives and the US Senate, and I am already looking forward to participating in future Hill Day events.
As we look ahead to 2025, the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) is set to impact our oncology patients significantly. The IRA’s measures to cap out-of-pocket costs for Medicare beneficiaries, enable price negotiation for certain high-cost drugs, and redesign the Medicare Part D benefit structure represent monumental shifts in how patients access and afford their medications. These changes hold promise for reducing the financial toxicity often experienced by patients with cancer. However, these changes also come with challenges that require careful navigation. As oncology pharmacists, we must stay informed and proactive, ensuring that these policies benefit patients without compromising access to innovative therapies. Additionally, the new out-of-pocket caps for Medicare beneficiaries will necessitate a recalibration of how we support patients clinically and financially. Many of us are already familiar with the hurdles patients face when navigating co-pays, deductibles, and insurance approvals. The IRA’s reforms offer an opportunity to ease these burdens, but only if we adapt our practices to the new landscape. This might mean collaborating more closely with financial navigators, advocating for institutional resources to support medication access, or engaging directly with payers to ensure coverage aligns with clinical needs. Oncology pharmacists are pivotal in caring for our patients, and understanding the IRA is no exception.
As we move forward, I encourage you to find ways to engage in advocacy. Pharmacists bring a unique perspective to health care that bridges clinical knowledge, patient-centered care, and operational expertise. When we step into advocacy roles, we amplify this perspective, shaping policies that directly impact the lives of our patients and the sustainability of our health care system. This might mean attending Hill Day, writing to your elected officials, or starting conversations about policy within your workplace. Advocacy does not require perfection or expertise—it requires passion and a willingness to act.
Pharmacists can influence change, not just for our profession but for the patients we serve. As the oncology care landscape evolves, let us commit to actively shaping its future. Our work today will lay the foundation for more equitable, accessible, and effective care tomorrow.
I wish you all a happy and healthy New Year and look forward to seeing you at a pharmacy conference event in 2025.
