Doctor-dispensed oral medicines for advanced prostate cancer and what that means for patients
Official title: Physician dispensing of oral specialty drugs for advanced prostate cancer and its implications for patients
Funded at University of Michigan at Ann Arbor · NIH-11295489 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project looks at how getting oral prostate cancer medicines directly from your doctor versus a pharmacy affects access, cost, safety, and whether patients take their pills as prescribed.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Michigan at Ann Arbor NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Ann Arbor, United States) |
| Project start | February 1, 2023 |
| Project end | August 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $1,411,059 |
| NIH project number | 4R01CA275993-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11295489 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Men with advanced or metastatic prostate cancer who are taking or may start oral specialty drugs such as abiraterone or enzalutamide, especially if treated at clinics that dispense these medications.
✕Less likely to help
People who are not using oral specialty prostate cancer drugs, have early-stage disease treated without these agents, or receive care outside participating clinics are unlikely to be directly affected.
What this research studies
From a patient viewpoint, researchers compare men with advanced prostate cancer who get oral specialty drugs (like abiraterone or enzalutamide) dispensed in the clinic to those who get them from outside pharmacies. They will examine timing of treatment starts, out-of-pocket costs, medication adherence, and adverse drug events using medical and prescription records and related data. The team will also study whether physician dispensing helps patients by easing authorization and financial assistance or creates incentives that change prescribing in ways that could harm some patients. Findings will be used to understand trade-offs between easier access and potential safety or cost concerns.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Could make it faster and easier to start and stay on effective oral prostate cancer treatments while highlighting ways to reduce harms from inappropriate prescribing.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work shows oral targeted therapies are effective for advanced prostate cancer and that clinic dispensing can improve access in some settings, but effects on prescribing incentives, safety, and adherence are not well established.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Michigan at Ann Arbor
Ann Arbor, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Hollenbeck, Brent K. — University of Michigan at Ann Arbor
- Study coordinator: Hollenbeck, Brent K.
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.