In The Loop Banner

The Evolution of the CSTD
By Firouzan Massoomi, PharmD, FASHP

Hazardous drug use has been ubiquitous in oncology practice for decades with the majority of these drugs being administered intravenously and requiring reconstitution, dilution, and transfer to IV bags or administration directly to the patient via syringe injection. While hazardous drugs may effectively treat cancerous tissue, they also may damage healthy organs and, consequently, can be hazardous to health care workers. Therefore, safe handling of hazardous drugs is critical to ensure the health of hospital pharmacists, nurses, and others who may come in contact with these medications. The development of closed system drug-transfer devices (CSTDs) is an evolutionary step toward ensuring safety, and, as a result, CSTDs have now made their way into mainstream practice as a key component for protection. As such, a comprehensive understanding of the development considerations and specific features of available CSTDs is necessary to gain perspective when examining which device best fits the needs of a given organization. To read about key CSTD developments, examine various features and attributes of CSTDs, and review CSTD vendor profiles, CLICK HERE.


Do You Know . . .
What percent of hospitals have adopted a cradle-to-grave approach for managing drug waste? CLICK HERE to find out.


Editor's Pick


Update on Proposed Chapter USP <800>
Q&A with Patricia C. Kienle, RPh, MPA, FASHP

Based on public comments received for the originally proposed USP General Chapter <800>, the USP Compounding Expert Committee developed a revised chapter that incorporated changes resulting from the previous public comment period and is seeking another round of feedback. The revised chapter was posted in December 2014 on the USP Web site and also will be published in the March-April 2015 issue of Pharmacopeial Forum. Major changes to USP <800> resulting from the first public comment period include removal of the statement that said there is no acceptable level of personnel exposure to hazardous drugs, a revised section on the list of hazardous drugs, clarification regarding where hazardous drugs may be unpacked, and an allowance for either external venting or redundant HEPA filtration in C-PECs used for nonsterile compounding. CLICK HERE to read more.


Your Subscription
You are receiving this message as a subscriber to Pharmacy Purchasing & Products. If you would like to unsubscribe from our newsletters, please visit www.pppmag.com/unsubscribe.

If you are not already a subscriber to Pharmacy Purchasing & Products and would like to subscribe please go to: www.pppmag.com/subscribe.

Please remember to add us to your address book to ensure that you continue to receive our emails in your inbox.

Sponsorship/Advertising Opportunities
Please contact your account manager at sales@ridgewoodmedia.com or call 201-670-0077, ext. 200.

In the Loop © 2015 Ridgewood Medical Media, LLC. You have permission to forward In the Loop, in its entirety only, provided this copyright notice remains part of your transmission. To subscribe to In the Loop, please send an email to: listmanager@ridgewoodmedia.com and type "Subscribe, (Your email address, and full name)" in the body.

All other rights reserved. None of this material may be reprinted without the express written permission of Ridgewood Medical Media, LLC.
SmartPak is an innovative, safe, easy-to-use pharmacy bulk package packaging system, ideal for large volume sterile product preparation.  With a revolutionary dual bag design, each SmartPak contains up to 300 grams of drug, saving time by eliminating the usual steps associated with reconstituting multiple 10 gram vials.  SmartPak … Smart thinking.  www.samsonmt.com