Why is it important?
Immunomodulators and biological therapies are important Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) treatment options. But they carry significant risks to patients if not managed and monitored appropriately.
There are a number of evidence-based, regularly updated clinical guidelines that can help clinicians manage these therapies. By ensuring that these inform any agreed protocols, we can ensure that patients benefit from the right pre-screening, prescribing and monitoring practices.
This isn’t happening for everyone right now. The 2016 Biologics Audit reported that only 60% of adults and 47% of paediatric patients received all pre-treatment screening tests. The IBD audit team at the Royal College of Physicians conducted telephone interviews to explore the reasons behind poor screening rates.
The primary reasons why clinical teams fall short of 100% pre-treatment screening are:
- Services opting out of tests
- Difficulties collecting tuberculosis (TB) tests
- Not being able to get results quickly
Clinicians should audit all patients on biological therapies to ensure safe and appropriate use.
We’ve seen that patients who participate in their care and shared decision-making, have better clinical outcomes. That’s why it’s important to give patients information, which is appropriate to their age, understanding and language, that can help them have conversations about the pros and cons of different treatment options with gastroenterologist and surgeons. These conversations should also consider the patient’s own preferences and goals.