Valley Oncology pharmacy to expand services in the region
PHOTO COURTESY HERIBERTO PEREZ-ZUÑIGA
New oncology pharmacy services at the UT Health RGV Cancer and Surgery Center are working to bring specialized care closer to the Rio Grande Valley, according to a center staff member.
Daniel Hernandez, manager of oncology pharmacy operations, said the need for these services is urgent as cancer cases continue to rise.
Hernandez said the oncology pharmacy team plays an active role in assisting with patients’ treatments. Once a doctor creates a treatment plan, pharmacists review every detail before a patient receives the medication.
“Patient safety is the main thing,” he said. “We help to make sure that the regimens that the patients will be receiving are appropriate … that there are no drug interactions, there’s no allergy issues and that the doses are appropriate for the patients.”
The process includes checking for allergies, reviewing lab results and adjusting doses based on factors such as kidney or liver function, Hernandez added.
According to a March 12 Newsroom news release, the team also prepares complex treatments such as chemotherapy, immunotherapy and biologics in a controlled, sterile environment. Many of these drugs are considered hazardous, requiring specialized handling and equipment. To reduce risk, every treatment is double-checked by pharmacists and prepared using strict safety standards.
In addition to infusion support, the program is expanding toward offering oral cancer medications on-site, allowing patients to receive prescriptions and counseling in one place, according to Hernandez.
“There are drugs that are designed specifically to target proteins in order to treat cancer,” he said. “A lot of those medications now are available orally. It’s important for us to be able to dispense those medications here, so that we can do face-to-face counseling with the patients to be a resource for them if they have any questions about side effects.”
Looking ahead, Hernandez said a specialty retail pharmacy is “next on the list.”
As the services expand and the Valley’s cancer center grows, patients still face the challenge of managing the costs of cancer treatments. The manager described “financial toxicity,” which refers to situations where the cost of care itself becomes an extra burden on patients.
He added the pharmacy team works directly with physicians to adjust treatments when needed, due to side effects, medical concerns or “a lot of times” due to cost issues.
Lisa Cornejo, a Brownsville resident diagnosed with stage four metastatic breast cancer, said the burden of traveling to cities for specialized treatment was an obstacle for years. According to Cornejo, the opening of a cancer center closer to home has made a significant difference.
“I was going to [the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center] for about three years, traveling back and forth to Houston … trying to figure out funds for the gas and the transportation and where we were gonna stay,” she said. “It’s only like an hour drive instead of five or six hours, so it has changed my life in a good way.”
However, even with improved access, Cornejo said financial assistance programs are not yet as developed locally as in larger institutions.
“Unfortunately, [the UT Health RGV Cancer and Surgery Center] is new, and they don’t have those types of [financial assistance] programs yet,” she said. “They got me on a program to help with one of my chemotherapy drugs, but that only pays so much.”
According to an October 2024 article from the National Cancer Institute, the U.S. spent $99 billion on orally administered and clinician-administered anticancer therapies in 2023, and spending is projected to increase to $180 billion by 2028. The article states high prices have impeded Americans’ access to affordable and necessary life-saving treatment.
Similarly, according to an Oct. 27, 2023, article from the American Cancer Society, only about one in four patients newly diagnosed with advanced cancer had a documented conversation with their physician about the cost of care. The gap makes it harder to identify patient needs and monitor whether referrals for financial assistance are effective.
In the study, researchers highlighted that consistently documenting cost-of-care discussions as part of quality care could support more informed decision-making. Without this information in medical records, it becomes difficult to evaluate patients’ risk of financial hardship or determine whether their financial needs have been adequately addressed.
To address the issue, the new UT Health RGV pharmacy services include financial counselors and support programs to help patients access assistance, especially because some of the newer medications may not have assistance.
“We try to secure co-pay assistance for our patients because sometimes the co-pays or the out-of-pocket can be as high as $8,000,” Hernandez said. “… We’ve helped a lot of patients by securing free drug or co-pay assistance. Unfortunately, we’re not able to do that for all patients.”
He said the long-term goal is to expand services further, including clinical trials and advanced treatments currently unavailable in the region.
“It’ll be easier for [the patients] and more financially viable to participate in these types of research trials,” the manager said.
Hernandez and Cornejo said they agree having care available closer to home is a major step forward.
“This is my home,” Hernandez said. “If we can help patients receive safe, cutting-edge care close to their families, that’s a win for the entire Valley.”
–Mariah Escobar contributed to this story.
