Preparation and administration of androgen deprivation therapy products: Retrospective survey results

Leuprolide acetate (LA) is a gonadotropin‐releasing hormone agonist used as androgen deprivation therapy for advanced prostate cancer. LA is available in formulations intended for intramuscular (IM‐LA) or subcutaneous (SC‐LA) administration. Post‐marketing reports have noted handling errors associated with the preparation and administration of SC‐LA. This study gathered real‐world evidence on administration and management of IM‐LA and SC‐LA in large, urology‐ or oncology‐based practices. Over 200 staff were invited; 151 participated in an online survey. Main outcomes were time for each step of the ordering, inventory, mixing and administration processes. Mean values and standard errors are reported for continuous variables, and frequency and percentage are reported for categorical variables. Comparisons between groups were made with t tests and chi‐square tests as appropriate. For IM‐LA and SC‐LA, ease of ordering and time to place an order (10.8 ± 1.3 vs. 10.6 ± 1.4 min, respectively) were similar. IM‐LA was associated with a shorter time to complete preparation (2.5 ± 0.2 vs. 6.1 ± 0.6 min, P