The adverse health effects of occupational exposure to hazardous drugs

For the past several decades, there has been growing concern regarding the safety and health of healthcare workers who are occupationally exposed to chemotherapy and other drugs. The activities that create greatest risk are preparing and administering antineoplastic agents, cleaning up chemotherapy spills, and handling patient excreta. This article will review the potential adverse health effects associated with handling these agents, including acute symptoms, reproductive health issues, and potential cancer development. Healthcare workers handling chemotherapeutic agents report an increased incidence of acute health symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, headaches, and hair loss. Additionally, many studies have identified an association between exposure to the drugs and adverse effects on reproductive health among female staff members, including infertility, preterm deliveries, spontaneous abortions, fetal abnormalities, and small-for-gestational-age births. Review Article