BCOP CEs Specially Curated for Oncology Pharmacists Connect
In partnership with Pharmacy Times Continuing Education, HOPA is excited to offer Board Certified Oncology Pharmacist (BCOP) credit hours prior to the Oncology Pharmacists Connect (OPC) conference.
BCOP programming is planned for Wednesday, June 18, 2025 at the Omni Austin Hotel Downtown in Austin, Texas and will be followed by OPC on June 19-20 at the same venue.
Registration is open!
If you are a HOPA member, please check your inbox for a discount code* for 100% off the cost of registration for the OPC program. To register for OPC 2025, the BCOP Curated portion only, or both, visit the event landing page.
*Discount code is for OPC only; the BCOP program is $99 for members and $149 for non-members.
Overview of 4 BCOP CE Hours
HOPA has handpicked 4.0 BCOP CE hours from BCOP Updates 2024 and Annual Conference 2025 to present some of the most sought-after BCOP CEs this year. This program will include previously presented topics on acute leukemia, cellular therapy for solid tumors, and the role of pharmacists in serious illness conversations.
All Sessions are Wednesday, June 18
1:00 PM – 2:30 PM
Updates in Acute Leukemia for Elderly Patients (A) 1.50 CEs
(From BCOP Updates 2024)
- Adam DiPippo, PharmD, BCOP
- Shilpa Paul, PharmD, BCOP
- Caitlin Rausch, PharmD, BCOP
This session will focus on treating and optimizing drug therapy in elderly patients with acute leukemia. Treatment of elderly patients with acute leukemia poses a significant clinical challenge as their co-morbidities and/or decreased performance status places them at a higher risk of morbidity and mortality with standard intensive chemotherapies. Furthermore, disease features portending a poor prognosis are more frequent among elderly patients. Empiric dose reductions of intensive therapies decreases effectiveness thereby negatively impacting outcomes. Designing effective low-intensity therapies incorporating novel agents and utilizing evidence-based data is imperative in improving outcomes and mitigating toxicities when treating elderly patients with acute leukemia.
The goal of this 1.5 hour session is to discuss the shift in treatment paradigm for elderly patients with acute leukemia with the incorporation of novel agents and low-intensity therapy. The session will discuss evidence based data of low-intensity therapies adapted for elderly patients in both acute myeloid leukemia and acute lymphoblastic leukemia and provide strategies for optimal management of adverse events. Goals of therapy and cost of care for this population will also be discussed.
This session will provide fundamentals in designing therapies for elderly patients with acute leukemia while highlighting some of the challenges we face in taking care of this population in acute leukemia. Real-world cases with utilization of evidence-based data and ADE management/mitigation strategies will be presented to facilitate application of the subject.
Learning Objectives:
- Describe the natural history and past treatment paradigm of acute leukemias in elderly patients
- Summarize current advances and novel agents used in the treatment of elderly patients with acute leukemias
- Apply evidence-based principles to clinical scenarios of elderly patients with acute leukemia, including dose modifications and supportive care management
- Evaluate the clinical evidence and place in therapy of novel agents for elderly patients with ALL and AML including inotuzumab, blinatumomab, BCR::ABL1 tyrosine kinase inhibitors, venetoclax, IDH and FLT3 inhibitors
- Design a comprehensive treatment regimen for elderly patients with acute leukemia utilizing patient-specific factors and goals of therapy
2:45 PM - 4:00 PM
It’s About Time: Cellular Therapy Primer for Solid Tumors (K) 1.25 CEs
(From HOPA 2025)
- Brooke Adams, PharmD, BCOP
This 75-minute BCOP session will focus on the role and development of adoptive cellular therapies (ACT) for solid tumors. It will summarize the challenges faced in the development of ACT for solid tumors, review recent cellular therapy FDA approvals, and lastly discuss future directions of cellular therapies in the solid tumor pipeline.
Learning Objectives:
- Discuss the role and mechanisms of adoptive cellular therapy for solid tumor malignancies
- Describe the challenges in the development of cellular therapies for solid tumor malignancies compared to hematologic malignancies
- Review the adverse event profile, management, and supportive care for tumor infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs)
- Summarize the role bi-specific T-cell engaging antibodies in solid tumor malignancies
- Explain the future directions of cellular therapies in solid tumor malignancies
4:15 PM - 5:30 PM
Let’s be Real: Challenging, Honest Conversations with Patients (A) 1.25 CE
(From HOPA 2025)
- Sarah Hayward, PharmD, BCOP
- Erin Hickey Zacholski, PharmD, BCOP
- Jennifer Stagg, PharmD, BCOP
This session will focus on navigating challenging conversations with patients, including discussion of risks vs benefits of therapy, incorporating an individual’s goals of care into the conversation, and creating a safe space to develop rapport and trust with patients.
Oncology pharmacists are uniquely equipped to understand intent and toxicities of treatment, and explain these in a way that is easy for patients to understand and absorb. An evidence-based framework will be shared to equip pharmacists during these conversations and facilitate shared decision-making. Concepts will be demonstrated with cases. Pharmacists will learn concrete strategies to help patients make the best decision for their care and improve patient outcomes.
Learning Objectives:
- Define goals of care conversations and shared clinical decision making
- Describe barriers to serious illness conversations
- Apply an evidence-based framework for serious illness conversation into patient care conversations
- Conduct patient care conversations where shared clinical decision making is utilized
- Incorporate goals of care into patient education for those receiving palliative intent therapy