subject: Several ways to minimize risks of Exposures to Hazardous Drugs [print this page] Mainly all the useful medicines are made of drugs that are hazardous drugs. These drugs are made of some noxious agents that can produce innumerable health defects on exposures. The toxic agents include chemicals that are highly lethal, carcinogenic, irritants, corrosives, reproductive toxins, sensitizers and substances that can produce organ disorders. Hence, exposures to hazardous drugs have to be controlled to save the mankind from the disastrous wrath of these life-threatening diseases. Safe handling of hazardous drugs is also very much mandatory for the betterment of the mankind.
OSHA and ASHP have published numerous criteria's that can differentiate between the hazardous and non-hazardous drugs. These organizations have also developed various safe handling programs. When the drugs are bought, they must be examined to determine their safety according to the criteria's suggested by these organizations. The healthcare workers that are involved in all sorts of drug related activities are more prone to their harmful effects. When exposed, these drugs can badly contaminate the surroundings which in turn can induce lethal health effects on the living beings present there. According to these organizations, any drug that has carcinogenicity, developmental toxicity, teratogenicity, reproductive toxicity, genotoxicity, organ toxicity at low doses, comes under the list of these harmful drugs.
Exposures to perilous drugs can cause short term as well as long term health disorders. To save the mankind from the disastrous clutches of these perilous drugs, strict adherence to all the safety guidelines and measures is highly mandatory. In the workplaces, the professionals must use biological safety cabinets and personal protective equipments. These equipments include safety gloves, gowns, masks and respirators. If all the safety measures will be properly implemented in the healthcare units, harmful effects of these drugs can be reduced to a maximum extent.
Several ways to minimize risks of Exposures to Hazardous Drugs
