Costs associated with United States pharmacopeia compliant infusion clinics.

Purpose: As costs continue to rise in oncology, a strategy that has been implemented to limit these costs is use of alternative sites of care. However, there are differences in regulatory standards between common sites of care such as freestanding infusion clinics and hospital outpatient departments. The costs associated with United States Pharmacopeia compliance were evaluated in order to better understand the cost of universally compliant hospital outpatient departments.

Patterns and characteristics associated with surface contamination of hazardous drugs in hospital pharmacies.

Purpose: The surface contamination levels of 5 commonly used hazardous drugs in hospital pharmacies are summarized, identifying practice patterns associated with contamination.

Methods: Contamination testing data were compiled to evaluate surface contaminants of 5 hazardous drugs (docetaxel, paclitaxel, cyclophosphamide, ifosfamide, and 5-fluorourcil). Data from 5,842 wipes over 6 years were collected from 338 hospital pharmacies.

Application of the 2015 proposed NIOSH vapor containment performance protocol for closed system transfer devices used during pharmacy compounding and administration of hazardous drugs.

Purpose: The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) released a proposed protocol in 2015 to evaluate the vapor containment abilities of closed system transfer device technologies in order to provide meaningful comparisons between products. This study assessed the vapor containment ability of closed system transfer devices when following the methodology as outlined by the 2015 NIOSH proposed protocol.

Methods: This study evaluated six closed system transfer device brands following the draft NIOSH vapor containment protocol.

Discrepancies in Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Patient Care and How Pharmacists Can Support an Evolved Practice.

We live in an increasingly multicultural society with people from different ethnicities and beliefs. In recent years, we have witnessed a growing group of people who identify as having diverse sexual orientations and gender identities. Members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) community have historically been marginalized by the health care industry.