Each year more than 8 million U.S. healthcare workers are potentially exposed to harmful Hazardous Drugs (HD). Possible side effects of HD exposure include headaches, hair loss, vision issues, reproductive health effects, and increased cancer risk.
USP 800 Hazardous Drugs – Handling in Healthcare Settings was developed to provide new quality standards for handling Hazardous Drugs in all settings, with an end goal of ensuring the safety of both patients and staff who come in contact with HDs. It addresses specific areas in which pharmacy typically drives accountability, including:
- Staff requirements, such as the Designated Person role and acknowledgement of risk
- Facility standards, including storage, compounding, and containment
- Transfer device requirements
- Environmental quality control
- PPE usage
- Spill prevention and management