Which standard governs working with hazardous drugs?

Which standard governs working with hazardous drugs?

• A. USP 800
• B. USP 795
• C. USP 797
• D. USP 711

Answer: (A)

Handling hazardous drugs requires protective measures from procurement through disposal. The standard that governs this is USP 800. It specifies what counts as hazardous drugs and sets the safety controls needed to minimize exposure, including facility design and engineering controls, use of closed-system drug-transfer devices, appropriate PPE (gowns, gloves, eye/face protection), and comprehensive policies for storage, labeling, training, spill response, medical surveillance, and waste handling. It covers the entire process of working with hazardous drugs to keep healthcare workers safe. Other USP chapters focus on how drugs are prepared and compounded—non-sterile or sterile procedures—rather than on protecting workers from exposure to hazardous drugs. They establish quality and procedure requirements for compounding, not the hazard-control measures USP 800 mandates.

Handling hazardous drugs requires protective measures from procurement through disposal. The standard that governs this is USP 800. It specifies what counts as hazardous drugs and sets the safety controls needed to minimize exposure, including facility design and engineering controls, use of closed-system drug-transfer devices, appropriate PPE (gowns, gloves, eye/face protection), and comprehensive policies for storage, labeling, training, spill response, medical surveillance, and waste handling. It covers the entire process of working with hazardous drugs to keep healthcare workers safe.

Other USP chapters focus on how drugs are prepared and compounded—non-sterile or sterile procedures—rather than on protecting workers from exposure to hazardous drugs. They establish quality and procedure requirements for compounding, not the hazard-control measures USP 800 mandates.