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 closed system technology (CST) 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, CST was implemented in the chemotherapy infusion center, while workers continued the preparation and administration safeguards already in use. Six months following the adoption of CST, 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 CST.
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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Contacts:
Marian Robinson, Vice President, Marketing
Baxa Corporation: 800.567.2292 ext. 2157 or 303.617.2157
Email: marian.robinson@baxa.com
Maggie Holben, Absolutely Public Relations
303.984.9801 or 303.669.3558
Email: maggie@absolutelypr.com
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