The American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) has released a position statement on Home Infusion of Anticancer Therapy that raises safety and oversight concerns related to home infusion of anticancer therapy and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) regulations regarding the practice.
In response to the COVID-19 public health emergency, CMS has enabled temporary flexibility related to home infusion for Part B cancer drugs.
“We understand that COVID-19 has resulted in treatment challenges in some cases, and that home infusion services have been utilized as an alternative to treatment in outpatient facilities, but it is still unclear if the benefits outweigh the risks of this approach,”ASCO President Lori J. Pierce, MD, FASTRO, FASCO, said in a statement. “During and beyond this pandemic, patient safety must continue to be the first priority, and the decision to administer anticancer therapy in a home setting should be made only if both the treating physician and patient agree it’s in the patient’s best interest.”
ASCO states that the decision to administer anticancer therapy in a home setting should be made by the treating physician in consultation with the patient, and only after consideration of the availability of necessary precautions to protect medical staff, patients, and caregivers during infusion and disposal. The position statement makes the following six recommendations:
Read ASCO's news release and position statement.
Posted 7/31/2020
At the 2026 ASCO Annual Meeting, the Louisiana Oncology Society received the ASCO Jeffrey C Ward Affiliate Advocacy Award for advancing critical advocacy priorities that have translated into meaningful legislative victories. The Iowa Oncology Society and Washington State Medical Oncology Society were also recognized for their advocacy efforts in 2025 at the meeting, receiving second place awards.
