As precision medicine — using lab tests to match treatments to an individual’s unique genetic identity — reshapes cancer care, a recent article by a Prime Therapeutics (Prime) clinical oncology pharmacist highlights an often-missed point: Cancer treatment guided by genomic testing succeeds not only because of scientific breakthroughs, but because the processes and people who deliver it — the testing labs, doctors and pharmacists, care coordinators, and health plans — work closely together to put those breakthroughs into practice.  

Abby Kim, PharmD, BCOP, senior director, clinical strategy and oncology specialty solutions at Prime, recently published the article, “Operationalizing Precision Medicine: How Pharmacists Can Support Practices Across the Oncology Ecosystem,” in Hematology/Oncology Pharmacy Association (HOPA)’s publication HOPA News, Vol. 22, issue 4.  

Kim explains how oncology pharmacists translate biomarker findings — gene and protein tests on tumors — into clear treatment choices. That makes them essential connectors in precision oncology, which matches treatment to the unique features of each patient’s cancer.  

“Cancer care often breaks down between testing, interpretation and treatment selection,” Kim said, providing additional context to her article. “Prime is committed to helping patients get the right tests that lead to the right treatments for the right conditions at the right time. Our goal is to create better, quicker and more direct care that benefits patients and payers alike.” 

Key takeaways from Kim’s article include:  

• Precision oncology depends on timely, accurate biomarker testing, yet many patients still do not receive comprehensive testing or receive nontargeted therapy (like chemotherapy or radiation) before results are available. This creates missed opportunities for optimal care.  

• Oncology pharmacists play a central role in making precision medicine work. This involves identifying patients for testing, coordinating labs, interpreting results, designing programs, implementing electronic medical records tools, educating teams and measuring outcomes to ensure sustainability. 

• Molecular tumor boards are a cornerstone of precision oncology. Pharmacists contribute by connecting molecular findings to evidence-based therapies, assessing feasibility (toxicity, access, coverage) and helping to ensure recommendations are implementable. 

• Pharmacists act as the “connective tissue” between clinical practice, laboratory science and payer strategy.  

• Managed care organizations significantly influence access to biomarker testing. Aligning payer policies with evidence-based guidelines can reduce delays, improve equity and help ensure patients receive the right test and therapy. 

Read Kim’s full article on page 7 of the latest issue of HOPA News