Background Oral anticancer drugs still contain some of the most critical issues in terms of right use and compliance. Patients need to be advised and guided concerning dosing schedules, risks and important supportive measures. Package sizes distributed by the pharmaceutical industry often contain more doses than one patient needs especially for short-term stays in the hospital.

Purpose Our goal was to dispense patient-individual unit doses of oral anticancer drugs based on individual computerised prescriptions.

Materials and Methods For this purpose we implemented evidence-based treatment regimens in the prescription software to prevent errors and support the use of standardised treatment plans. Additionally patient information leaflets were created. The first drugs to be computerised in this way were capecitabine and temozolomide.

Results Individualised dispensing of oral anticancer drugs allows more extensive pharmaceutical care of these patients. In view of the risks described above oral anticancer drugs have to undergo a pharmaceutical plausibility cheque and the amount has to be found suitable according to the treatment regime before dispensing. Moreover, the available instructions for use e.g. treatment schedules including supportive measures and the patient information brochure improve the information flow and the safe use.

Conclusions Due to the positive feedback from the operators we are extending the procedure to all oral anticancer drugs.

No conflict of interest.