Baxa Praises NIOSH for Alert on Preventing Occupational Exposure to Hazardous Drugs
The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) has issued an important Alert identifying the risks to healthcare workers involved in handling antineoplastic and other hazardous drugs. Baxa is the US distributor of PhaSeal(r), the only closed system that prevents the workplace contamination threats delineated in the Alert.
Englewood, CO (PRWEB) March 29, 2004--"The National Institute for
Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) has issued an important Alert identifying
the risks to healthcare workers involved in handling antineoplastic and other
hazardous drugs," Greg Baldwin, Chairman and CEO of Baxa Corporation, says. Baxa
is the US distributor of PhaSeal(r), the only closed system that prevents the
workplace contamination threats delineated in the Alert.
Commending NIOSH
on their publication, Baldwin notes that it developed from solid scientific
evidence through the review of more than 140 references to environmental and
occupational exposure among healthcare workers. The Alert includes
recommendations for employers and workers of appropriate measures to protect the
health and reduce the exposure risks.
The Alert, "Preventing Occupational
Exposures to Antineoplastic and other Hazardous Drugs in Healthcare Settings,"
reflects years of work by physician, nurse, pharmacist and scientific experts in
collaboration with members of the broad-based NIOSH Hazardous Drug Safe Handling
working group. The complete 93-page Alert is now available on the NIOSH Web site
at http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/docs/2004-HazDrugAlert/.
Among
the findings in the Alert are warnings that previous workplace precautions for
containing hazardous drugs have been inadequate. Examples include:
*
"Sessink and Bos noted that 11 of 12 studies detected cyclophosphamide in the
urine of healthcare workers tested, indicating continued exposure despite safety
precautions." (page 17)
* "Considering all the data, the weight of the
evidence in occupationally exposed cohorts demonstrates an association between
exposures to hazardous drugs and increases in various measures of
genotoxicity..." (page 19)
* "Recent evidence summarized in this Alert
documents that worker exposure to hazardous drugs is a persistent problem.
Although most air sampling studies have not demonstrated significant airborne
concentrations of these drugs, the methodology employed in the past has come
into question...and may not be a good indicator of environmental contamination
of the workplace. All studies that examined surface wipe samples have determined
that surface contamination of the workplace is common and widespread." (page
41)
The Alert recommends that employers improve environmental and
employee protection where hazardous drugs are handled. The specific benefits of
closed systems were called out:
* "An investigation conducted in the U.S.
demonstrated a reduction in both the percentage of urine samples with measurable
levels of cyclophosphamide or ifosfamide present and the concentration of the
drugs in the urine following use of a closed-system device for six months..."
(page 18)
* "Transfers from primary packaging such as vials to dosing
equipment (i.e. infusion bags, bottles or pumps) should be carried out using
closed systems whenever possible. Devices that contain the product within a
closed system during drug transfers limit the potential for aerosol generation,
as well as exposure to sharps." (page 35)
Baxa Corporation offers the
only closed system for safe handling of antineoplastic and other hazardous
drugs. This system, PhaSeal(r), uses dry connections and a built-in expansion
chamber to prevent drug aerosol leakage and subsequent transfer into the work
environment. As a closed system, it contains hazardous drugs throughout the
entire process of drug transfer, preparation, transport, administration and
disposal - eliminating the risks of environmental and occupational
exposure.
The PhaSeal System is currently in use for handling hazardous
drugs in more than 120 leading cancer hospitals in the US. The system is also
used in progressive hospitals throughout Europe.
Click the following link
to view a presentation by Jim Jorgenson "Using a Closed System Device to Reduce
Occupational Exposure to Hazardous Drugs." Jorgenson is Director of Pharmacy for
the Huntsman Cancer Institute and Associate Dean for Professional Affairs at the
University of Utah:
http://www.isips.org/presentations/PhaSeal/player.html
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Source : http://www.prweb.com/releases/2004/3/prweb114691.htm