Oncology pharmacy services

UC Davis Comprehensive Cancer Center offers cancer treatment and other types of infusion medication therapy at three sites across the health system.

Oncology pharmacists specialize providing pharmaceutical care to patients with cancer. We work together with your oncologists, nurse practitioners, nurses, and other health care providers to ensure safe medication use. We have several Board Certified Oncology Pharmacists (BCOP) working in our oncology service areas, including the Infusion Pharmacies, the Inpatient Oncology and Stem Cell Transplant Units and Oral Chemotherapy/Oncology Specialty Pharmacy.

Our infusion pharmacy prepares chemotherapy and other infusion medications for the cancer center and outpatient clinics. These medications are prepared  by highly qualified technicians and pharmacists under sterile conditions using specialized protective equipment to ensure a sterile, accurate, and timely product.

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About the cancer center pharmacy

Take-home medications can be dispensed from our on-site outpatient pharmacy. Medications used in cancer treatment often are costly, require insurance authorization, and are frequently not available at many outpatient pharmacies. Our pharmacy staff has in-depth knowledge and experience with these complex medications, and our staff are specially trained to work with you and your insurance provider to facilitate approval and help you get the medications you need in a timely manner.

Our Oral Chemotherapy/Oncology Specialty Pharmacy program provides patients with comprehensive oversight and management for oral cancer treatment regimens. The program includes patient education regarding the specific oral cancer treatment regimen, assessment of insurance coverage and co-pays, assistance with obtaining medication, if eligible, using pharmaceutical medication and/or co-pay assistance program, follow-up by an oncology pharmacist for assessment and management of toxicities as well as understanding and adherence to the prescribed medication regimen.

The Department of Pharmacy offers a safe and convenient method to dispose of certain unused medications or used sharps (needles, syringes and lancets). Please ask our outpatient pharmacy staff how to dispose of medications and related supplies.

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The Investigational Drug Service (IDS) for the cancer center is a specialized pharmacy responsible for managing study medications used in clinical drug trials at the UC Davis Comprehensive Cancer Center. The IDS pharmacy team prepares and dispenses study prescriptions for patients participating in a clinical trials.