Recommendations for the safe handling of injectable antineoplastic drug products

Routes through which health-care workers may be exposed to injectable antineoplastic drug products are reviewed, and recommendations developed by the National Institutes of Health for the safe handling of such products are presented. Routes of exposure are primarily through inhalation of the aerosolized drug product and by direct skin contact. The potential risks from repeated contact with injectable antineoplastic drug products can be controlled by the use of specific containment equipment and certain work techniques. It is recommended that all procedure involved in the preparation of injectable antineoplastics be performed in a Class II laminar flow biological safety cabinet.