| There has been a remarkable development in the | | | | The medicines used in Chemotherapy fall under |
| field of medicine over the past few decades. With | | | | the category of Hazardous drugs. The nurses and |
| new medicines being invented for treating | | | | physicians who administer the chemotherapy |
| diseases, there has been a raising concern over | | | | medicines to cancer patients are exposed to the |
| the effects of such medicines on the people who | | | | risk of health complications that can result from |
| deal with them during their manufacture, | | | | the inhalation, ingestion and absorption of drug |
| preparation, transport and administration. Majority | | | | spills, leakages, vapors and aerosols during the |
| of these drugs have some harmful elements that | | | | treatment. These can cause reproductive |
| can cause health complications like damaging the | | | | disorders and even cancer in the nurses and |
| skin, cell mutation, deterioration of foetal growth, | | | | physicians. This is not all, other people who are in |
| fertility impairment, and even leukemia. Any kind | | | | any way connected with the cancer patients like |
| of exposure to the toxic powders, vapors and | | | | hospital workers cleaning laundry and disposing |
| aerosols contained in these medications can result | | | | patient waste can also be exposed to drug |
| in the above-mentioned health hazards. Exposure | | | | residue and can develop health problems. Hence |
| to Hazardous Drugs should be avoided and proper | | | | special procedures should be adopted to avoid |
| care should be taken while handling them. | | | | Exposure to Hazardous drugs used in |
| There are chances that these harmful chemicals | | | | Chemotherapy. |
| may be absorbed into the skin if the working | | | | There are various equipments and machines that |
| surfaces like counter tops, tables and chairs, | | | | are effective in preventing drug contamination. A |
| instruments like syringe plungers, and other | | | | closed system drug transfer device should be |
| related systems like the Biological safety units are | | | | used to administer and prepare drug compounds |
| contaminated by drug spills. These contaminated | | | | to avoid contamination of the medicine by |
| surfaces can disrupt health conditions of people | | | | external agents. It also restricts the escape of |
| exposed to them. Exposure to Hazardous Drugs | | | | medicine from the device. The chances of the |
| should be minimized by wearing special gloves, | | | | medicine being contaminated by environmental |
| gowns, caps and masks that can stop the | | | | agents is considerably reduced and in many cases |
| harmful powders, vapors, chemical particles and | | | | negligible with the use of closed system transfer |
| liquids from entering into human body. | | | | devices. |