Drug Distribution and Control: Preparation and Handling–Guidelines 71 ASHP Guidelines on Handling Hazardous Drugs

In 1990, the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP) published its revised technical assistance bulletin (TAB) on handling cytotoxic and hazardous drugs. The information and recommendations contained in that document were current to June 1988. Continuing reports of workplace contamination and concerns for health care worker safety prompted the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) to issue new guidelines on controlling occupational exposure to hazardous drugs in 1995. In 2004, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) issued the “NIOSH Alert: Preventing Occupational Exposure to Antineoplastic and Other Hazardous Drugs in Health Care Settings.” The following ASHP Guidelines on Handling Hazardous Drugs include information from these recommendations and are current to 2004.