NCCN Launches Free NCCN Guidelines Mobile App for iPhone and Android
The NCCN improves access to the latest information on cancer treatment recommendations with the launch of the NCCN Guidelines App for iPhone and Android. These new apps are free and enable registered users on NCCN.org to view the NCCN Guidelines from their smartphone. The NCCN Guidelines apps are among the first free mobile applications available that are designed to assist in the selection of treatment for patients with cancer.
“Physicians and other health care professionals are adopting mobile eHealth technology at an accelerating rate,” said William T. McGivney, PhD, Chief Executive Officer, NCCN. “We are pleased to be able to offer providers improved access to the critical information found in the NCCN Guidelines at or near the point of patient care or anywhere through these new mobile applications.”
NCCN Guidelines apps are free to download through the iTunes store and Android Market and can be found easily by searching for “NCCN” in the respective marketplace. In addition, the Android Market Bar Code for the NCCN Guidelines app is available online at NCCN.org. To view the NCCN Guidelines through the apps, individuals must be a registered user on NCCN.org. There is no fee to become a registered user on NCCN.org and to view the NCCN Guidelines.
NCCN mobile apps provide access to the complete library of NCCN Guidelines, which cover 97% of all patients with cancer. NCCN Guidelines are the standard for cancer care in the United States and internationally. These guidelines are updated on a continual basis by an explicit review of evidence integrated with expert medical judgment and recommendations by multidisciplinary panels at NCCN Member Institutions. Users of the NCCN Guidelines apps have the ability to view all components of the NCCN Guidelines, including but not limited to, the algorithms, discussion section, and list of updates from the previous year's version.
“Mobile devices have quickly become a preferred vehicle for physicians to access clinical information due to their ease of use and inherent portability,” said Thomas D'Amico, MD, of Duke Comprehensive Cancer Center and chairman of the NCCN Board of Directors. “Being able to access the NCCN Guidelines at the point of care and elsewhere is invaluable for clinicians striving to keep up-to-date with the latest treatment recommendations that can benefit their patients.”
According to a May 2010 report from Manhattan Research, the percentage of physicians now using smartphones in the United States is 72%. The same report predicts that about 81% of physicians will use smartphones by 2012.
For additional information, visit NCCN.org/mobile.
NCCN Draft REMS White Paper Now Available for Comment on NCCN.org
The ramifications of Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategies (REMS) are raising concern among clinicians and stakeholders in the cancer care delivery system. NCCN has drafted a REMS White Paper, “NCCN Oncology Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategies Work Group Recommendations for Stakeholders,” which describes the implications of the applications of REMS in oncology and outlines recommendations for stakeholders. The draft of the NCCN REMS White Paper is available on NCCN.org for a 4-week comment period.
In response to the impending repercussions of REMS in oncology, NCCN took a leadership role and earlier this year convened an NCCN REMS Work Group. The Work Group, which includes various thought leaders and stakeholders in the field of oncology, were charged with gathering information, addressing how REMS should be applied to cancer care, and providing direction for relevant constituents. On May 7, 2010, the NCCN Oncology Summit: Recommendations for REMS Stakeholders was convened in Washington, DC. The NCCN Oncology Summit served as a medium for the presentation of the Work Group's recommendations and as a forum for further discussion of issues surrounding the development and implementation of REMS in oncology. In addition to leading oncologists, a broad array of organizations participated in the NCCN Oncology Summit, including the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, Friends of Cancer Research, The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, the FDA, the American Medical Association, CVS Caremark, and Aetna. Recommendations from the collaborative effort of the Work Group and relevant discussion at the NCCN Oncology Summit are incorporated into the 44-page REMS White Paper.
Since 2008, the FDA has had the authority to require a REMS for both existing drugs and drugs in development; the agency determines if special action is needed to ensure that the benefits of a drug outweigh its risks and a REMS requirement is thus applied. Recent changes resulting from REMS regulations have left clinicians and stakeholders in oncology concerned about burdensome workloads and the possibility of disparities in standard of care.
At the conclusion of the comment period for the white paper, NCCN will revise the draft, and publish the final version in a special issue of JNCCN. This special issue will feature an update on the status of managed care in oncology, a report on the challenges clinicians face in managing cancer-associated anemia, and other relevant articles. To ensure receipt of this special edition of JNCCN, e-mail JNCCN@NCCN.org. For more information regarding oncology-specific agents that require a REMS, please visit the NCCN REMS Resource Tool.
NCCN Names New Foundation Board Members
NCCN welcomes several new members to the NCCN Foundation Board of Directors. The latest additions to the Board of the NCCN Foundation, the philanthropic affiliate of NCCN, include:
Gena Cook is President and CEO of Navigating Cancer, a website specifically for patients with cancer and their caregivers.
William N. Hait, MD, PhD, is the Global Therapeutic Area Head for Oncology Research & Development within the Johnson & Johnson Pharmaceuticals Group.
Jai Pausch is an advocate for pancreatic cancer research following the death of her husband, Randy Pausch, PhD, acclaimed Carnegie Mellon University professor and author of the internationally best-selling book, The Last Lecture.
Robert C. Young, MD, is President of RCY Medicine and former President, CEO, and Chancellor of Fox Chase Cancer Center.
The NCCN Foundation was created to advance the NCCN mission of improving the quality and effectiveness of care provided to patients with cancer, while providing additional information and resources for informed decision-making. One of the primary initiatives of the NCCN Foundation is to gain support for the distribution of the Guidelines for Patients™, recastings of the NCCN Guidelines into patient-friendly language. The NCCN Foundation seeks support for programs to benefit patients with cancer, as well as clinical researchers.
The newest additions to the NCCN Foundation Board join the existing members, which include: Sam Donaldson (Chair), ABC News; Michael Parisi (Vice Chair), Altum, Inc., CommonHealth Worldwide; Ray Lynch (Treasurer), Huntsman Cancer Institute at the University of Utah; John A. Gentile, Jr. (Secretary), Harborside Press, LLC; Brian Garofalo, G Consulting Services, LLC; Deborah Morosini, MD, AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals LP; and Diane Schueneman, Retired Merrill Lynch Executive.
