NAPLEX (North American Pharmacist Licensure Examination) Practice Exam

What is a critical safety precaution for Axicabtagene Ciloleucel therapy?

1. REMS program

2. Daily exercise

3. Low salt diet

4. Sunlight exposure minimization

The correct answer is: REMS program

Axicabtagene Ciloleucel is a type of CAR-T cell therapy used in the treatment of certain types of blood cancers. One critical safety precaution for Axicabtagene Ciloleucel therapy is the Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategy (REMS) program. REMS programs are put in place by the FDA to ensure the safe use of certain medications with serious risks. In the case of Axicabtagene Ciloleucel, the REMS program helps to manage potential risks associated with its use, including the risk of cytokine release syndrome and neurological toxicities. Patients receiving this therapy need to be monitored closely for these potential side effects, hence the importance of the REMS program in ensuring patient safety. Options B, C, and D are not directly related to the critical safety precaution for Axicabtagene Ciloleucel therapy. While maintaining a healthy lifestyle, including daily exercise and a low salt diet, is beneficial for overall health, it is not specifically a critical safety precaution for this therapy. Similarly, sunlight exposure minimization may be important for certain medications due to photosensitivity reactions, but it is not a key safety precaution for Axicabtagene Ciloleucel therapy.