Baxa to Feature the PhaSeal(r) Closed System For Safe Handling of Hazardous Drugs at ASCO Annual Meeting in New Orleans June 5-8, 2004
Baxa Corporation is presenting the PhaSeal System at the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting in New Orleans. PhaSeal is the only closed system for handling antineoplastic and other hazardous drugs that has been documented to reduce or eliminate human exposure to toxic hazards in the workplace. The meeting, which begins June 5 and continues through June 8, focuses on advancing the education of physicians and health-system professions in cancer care and facilitating the delivery of high-quality health care to oncology patients.
New Orleans, LA (PRWEB) May 26, 2004 -- At the American Society of Clinical
Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting this year, Baxa Corporation will present the
PhaSeal System - the only closed system for handling antineoplastic and other
hazardous drugs that has been documented to reduce or eliminate human exposure
to toxic hazards in the workplace. The meeting, which begins June 5 and
continues through June 8, focuses on advancing the education of physicians and
health-system professions in cancer care and facilitating the delivery of
high-quality health care to oncology patients. This is the first year that Baxa
Corporation has participated in the ASCO event, which draws nearly 20,000
healthcare professionals.
The PhaSeal System consists of a set of
disposable containment devices that connect the original drug vial, syringe and
IV injection or infusion set together into a completely sealed pathway. The
system's double membrane prevents drug leakage and keeps the connections dry. A
built-in expansion chamber equalizes system pressure to prevent the release of
toxic aerosols and vapors during reconstitution. Because PhaSeal is a closed
system, hazardous drugs are contained throughout the entire process of drug
transfer, preparation, transport, administration and disposal.
The timing
of the ASCO meeting is especially good for discussion of environmental and
personnel contamination, in that it closely follows the March release by the
National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) of an alert
entitled, "Preventing Occupational
Exposures to Antineoplastic and other
Hazardous Drugs in Healthcare Settings." The Alert reviews the recent studies
that have demonstrated widespread environmental contamination by hazardous drugs
in preparation and administration areas, as well as the human uptake studies and
their results. Among the Alert's recommendations are the use of a closed-system
drug transfer device to reduce the potential for worker exposure.
Baxa
Corporation is the exclusive US distributor of the PhaSeal products for safe
handling of hazardous drugs. These products are currently available to promote
workplace safety for pharmacy and oncology care providers.
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.
About The American Society of
Clinical Oncology:
The American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) is the
world's leading professional society of multidisciplinary physicians who treat
people with cancer. ASCO's more than 20,000 members from the U.S. and abroad set
the standard for patient care worldwide and lead the fight for more effective
cancer treatments, increased funding for clinical and translational research,
and, ultimately, cures for the many different types of cancer that strike an
estimated 10 million people worldwide each year. The society may be found online
at http://www.asco.org
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/2004/5/prweb128807.htm