Agar transfer devices for environmental sampling in the compounding pharmacy: science and compliance.

This article provides the results of a study evaluating the sampling efficiency of a flat paddle sampling device against a round surface sampling device in controlled studies. Each device is supplied with identical microbial-growth media, and laboratory studies document equivalent performance of the media in the devices. Both devices perform sampling by the same process (agar transfer of microorganisms from the facility surface to the agar surface), and the performance of the two devices was shown to be equivalent in laboratory studies. Either the commonly used flat paddle sampler or the round contact plate is suitable for surface monitoring in the compounding pharmacy.