Staff’s training for who comes into contact with cytotoxic drugs

Yosef Samara

Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, Israel

Scientific Tracks Abstracts: Altern Integr Med

Abstract :

The workplace exposure to dangerous drugs and the resulting health risks for healthcare personnel have been well known and documented for over four decades, since it first became a recognized safety risk in the United States in the 1970s. Nowadays, the challenge of protecting workers persists and is expanding, for a number of reasons. Firstly, the incident rate of cancer is steadily increasing and, in turn, the use of cytotoxic drugs used to treat cancers is growing, amplifying the exposure to healthcare professionals. Secondly, the number and variety of healthcare workers potentially exposed to cytotoxic drugs is on the rise (e.g. professionals in immunology, rheumatology, nephrology and dermatology) because of the rapidly expanding use of these agents in non-oncology practices for treating non-malignant diseases. Thirdly, recent studies have demonstrated a persistence of drug contamination on surfaces even though guidelines and recommendations for the safe handling of cytotoxic drugs have been issued and implemented to minimize the risk of occupational exposure. Moreover, contamination has been detected on work surfaces after recognized cleaning procedures are concluded.

Biography :

Yosef Samara is the current Director of Oncology Pharmacy Services Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, Israel. He has completed his PhD from University of Petra, Jordan in 2000.

E-mail: yosefasal81@gmail.com