Herceptin alone -- always at an oncology center?
 

Re: Herceptin alone -- always at an oncology center?
 

I would ask your oncologist and maybe your primary care Dr? Is your primary care Dr closer? Maybe they can coordinate the infusions?

Re: Herceptin alone -- always at an oncology center?
 

I dunno...just makes WAY too much sense! I wonder if this question has been brought to genentech? Seems to me the infusion could be mixed by a qualified pharmacist in a hospital and administered by any qualified nurse or doctor.

Re: Herceptin alone -- always at an oncology center?
 

I know all the nurses in our infusion suite had to be "chemo certified." This would most likely be a requirement for Herceptin as well. But if there are some nurses who meet the requirement, and there could be an agreement about the pharmacy having a person specially trained to mix the Herceptin, maybe it could be done.

Looks to me like there are some questions to ask and if the answers meet with the drug maker's approval, maybe this will break some ice in the direction you propose, Debbie.

Re: Herceptin alone -- always at an oncology center?
 

Those who are within easy driving distance of Anchorage have access to oncology practices.

Elsewhere, if our medical practitioners didn't make the special effort to become certified to offer chemo and drugs like trastuzumab through a few small hospital ICU's and some clinics with qualified, highly trained personnel, cancer patients living in the entire remainder of the state would be a huge expense to themselves and others to transport and then house elsewhere, and would be unable to continue their jobs and lives or be anywhere near friends or family for support.

Your local medical practitioners and patients may need to seek to do the same to achieve a more reasonable and realistic solution.

AlaskaAngel

P.S. Patients here DO see an oncologist elsewhere for initial analysis and recommendations, and sometimes for complications subsequently, but for uncomplicated routine drug administration they are treated in facilities closer to their home.

Re: Herceptin alone -- always at an oncology center?
 

I might be imagining this, but I think my onc said that the time was getting closer when Herceptin will be available in pill form. If that is the case, that would be fantastic - how liberating not to have to schedule life around the 3 weekly infusion. Having said that, I'm more than happy to keep going every 3 weeks, but it's easy for me in Sydney. I hope Debbie that you find a solution to make it easier.
Cheers Marie

Re: Herceptin alone -- always at an oncology center?
 

I think they were looking at Self injecting the herceptin as an injection. Don't remember the details, but sometime this year was online.

Good Luck and warm loving prayers
Darita

Re: Herceptin alone -- always at an oncology center?
 

I have a friend in the UK who had a nurse adminster her herceptin at her home !!

Re: Herceptin alone -- always at an oncology center?
 

I get my Herceptin infusions on weekends, when there are not likely to be any oncologists on-site. Of course, the nurses are experienced in Herceptin infusions. Maybe someone at your local hospital could be trained to do the infusions. You also would need a pharmacist to mix the Herceptin. Good luck!