Preventing nonmicrobiologic airborne contamination in the compounding pharmacy: ensuring a safe environment for compounders, staff, and clients
Mixon, B.; Ille, G.
International Journal of Pharmaceutical Compounding 13(4): 290-294
2009
ISSN/ISBN: 1092-4221 PMID: 23966518 Document Number: 630990
Preventing and minimizing exposure to nonmicrobiologic airborne contaminants in a compounding pharmacy protects the health of pharmacy staff and clients. The inhalation of hazardous substances has been linked to the development of diseases and disorders that range from cancer to infertility. Although a workplace environmental exposure level has been established for some antibiotics at the time of this writing there were no exposure limits recommended by the National Institue for Occupational Safety and Health or permitted by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration for hazardous drugs or pharmaceutical compounds, nor were threshold limit values for those substances specified by the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists. For that reason, an evaluation of environmental air quality performed by an industrial hygienist can yield valuable information that will reassure staff or provide the basis for remedial action. This report describes the assessment by an industrial hygienist of airborne hormone levles in a compounding pharmacy and reviews the results of that analysis.