Baxa to Sponsor Miami Symposium on Environmental Exposure and Biological Uptake of Antineoplastics
Traditional assumptions about safe drug handling are challenged by a study published in a recent edition of the American Journal of Health-System Pharmacy. This study confirms European findings that, despite existing protective measures, there persists widespread surface contamination with antineoplastic drugs in the workplace and employee exposure to carcinogenic or mutagenic particulates and vapors. Results show that the PhaSeal(r) System, now distributed in the U.S. by Denver-based Baxa Corporation can reduce or eliminate human exposure to cancer chemotherapy drugs. Baxa Corporation is sponsoring a symposium in Miami on April 20th reviewing this new data.
Englewood, CO (PRWEB) April 19, 2004 -- Baxa Corporation is sponsoring a
dinner symposium for pharmacy and nursing professionals to discuss the findings
in a recent study from the American Journal of Health-System Pharmacy (AJHP).
The symposium will be held Tuesday, April 20th at the JW Marriott in Miami,
Florida.
The symposium presents the findings from the study, entitled
"Using a Closed-System Protective Device to Reduce Personnel Exposure to
Antineoplastic Agents," on biological uptake of cyclophosphamide and ifosfamide
in infusion center pharmacy and nursing staff in a newly built cancer center at
the University of Utah. The presenter, Jim Jorgenson, RPh, is Director of
Pharmacy for the Huntsman Cancer Institute, where the study took
place.
Study data documented that standard worker precautions and safe
handling guidelines were not effective in preventing environmental exposure and
subsequent uptake of the chemotherapy drugs in the healthcare workers tested.
These findings have been supported in a NIOSH Alert entitled, "Preventing
Occupational Exposures to Antineoplastic and other Hazardous Drugs in Healthcare
Settings" published last month to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Web
site.
The clinicians who authored the study demonstrated biological
uptake of the two drugs tested through urine studies with pharmacy and nursing
personnel. Additionally, wipe samples of selected facility and equipment
surfaces yielded positive results for all samples.
Following these
baseline tests, the PhaSeal closed-loop drug containment system was implemented
in the chemotherapy infusion center, while workers continued the preparation and
administration safeguards already in use. Six months following the adoption of
the PhaSeal System, the presence of the two drugs originally detected in urine
samples from center personnel had been reduced to undetectable levels. The study
also showed that drug contamination initially detected on infusion center
surfaces was significantly reduced following implementation of the PhaSeal
System.
The complimentary symposium will be held Tuesday, April 20th at
the JW Marriott in Miami, beginning at 5:30 PM. Participants are eligible for
one credit hour of Continuing Education (CEU).
About Baxa
Corporation:
As a leading provider of devices and systems for the
preparation, handling, packaging, and administration of liquid medications, Baxa
manufactures and markets a wide range of healthcare products for use in
hospitals, critical care units and alternate-site pharmacies. Headquartered in
Englewood, Colorado, Baxa has subsidiaries and sales offices in Canada, the
United Kingdom; Denmark, and Germany; and distribution partners worldwide.
Further information is available at http://www.baxa.com
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/2004/4/prweb119509.htm