Medical Science has developed a lot in the field of medicines. Pharmaceutical Engineering has provided medicines for most deadly and life taking diseases. These medicines are prepared from toxic and non-toxic chemicals that can save thousands of lives. But if exposed, these medicines can take thousands of lives. Some of the professionals that are more prone to these hazardous exposures are physicians, nurses, healthcare workers, laundry workers and other employees of hospitals and drug handling activities.

The risks of exposures to hazardous drugs can occur in different steps of drug development, administration, handling, transport, disposal etc. These exposures can be very harmful and can cause severe health disorders. Therefore apposite care should be taken while handling these hazardous drugs. Healthcare staffs can be exposed to these perilous drugs in several ways. Harmful chemicals can enter their body in the form of vapors, aerosols etc. Through dermal contact and accidental inhalation also, harmful substances can enter their body. These risks of exposures can be minimized by using personal protective equipments like gloves, gowns and surgical masks. Medicine preparation and mixing must be done in biological safety cabinets to shun all sorts of infections and chances of spillage and leakage.

Occupational exposures to hazardous drugs can cause immediate health disorders like skin and eye irritation, allergies and infections. Also long term and severe disorders can take place like sterility, respiratory and reproductive disorders, congenital malformations, birth defects, leukemia and various types of cancer. To combat these situations, closed system drug transfer devices should be used during different drug related activities. These safety systems are airtight and leak proof. They are designed in such a way that they do not allow the escape of harmful chemicals to outside and the entry of outer contamination in to the system. Proper trainings should be given to all healthcare workers to handle these harmful drugs safely.

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