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As an oncology pharmacist in an ambulatory cancer clinic, in the course of a typical week, it is not unusual for me to counsel 25 to 30 new patients on chemotherapy regimens that they are about to receive (paying particular attention to adverse events [AEs]), and to be directly involved in the monitoring and management of countless other patients who present with side effects associated with their treatments.

Among the various types of treatment that a patient with cancer may undergo, chemotherapy is associated with the greatest concerns with respect to side effects.

Confusion over the rules governing drug compounding has been an issue for many years. However, concerns about the safety and quality of compounded sterile products (CSPs), spurred by an outbreak of fungal meningitis infections that occurred in October 2012, have led to a fundamental change in the regulatory framework.

As a nurse practitioner and a researcher whose focus is on supportive care in cancer, many of my patients and their caregivers look to me for answers to their questions regarding over-the-counter (OTC) supplements and prescription drugs used to treat various disorders.

This issue focuses on current good manufacturing practice (cGMP) and includes articles written by a clinical oncology pharmacist, an oncology nurse practitioner, and a regulatory lawyer.

Happy New Year! As 2014 comes to a close and we march into 2015, it is only fitting to hope that you and your family have a happy and healthy new year.