[Health risks of occupational exposure to anticancer (antineoplastic) drugs in health care workers].
In Europe and America, many health care workers have concerns about the risks to their health of handling anticancer drugs. The findings of the risks were reported in the late 1970's, and guidelines for the safe handling of anticancer drugs were established in the 1980's. The conditions of wearing personal protective equipment and of the working environment have improved dramatically as a result of introduction of the guidelines. Furthermore, researches and studies into the health effects of occupational exposure to anticancer drugs have been pursued actively. In Japan, the society of hospital pharmacists established guidelines for the safe handling of anticancer drugs in 1991. Since then, mainly nurses have been concerned about the safe handling of anticancer drugs, but in the medical setting, the present situation surrounding the safe handling of anticancer drugs has hardly changed. In the industrial hygiene field, the safe handling and the occupational exposure to anticancer drugs have been seldom reported and researched. The actual potential hazards to occupational exposure of anticancer drugs have not yet been determined. Nevertheless, the reduction of occupational exposure to anticancer drugs in health care workers has been an important challenge for the industrial hygiene field. In Japan, we need to promote action to spread the use of the appropriate personal protective equipment and the appropriate working environment. We also have to rethink the safe handling of anticancer drugs. We hope that the Japanese government will establish an effective authorized guideline as has been done in Europe and America.
Tomioka
Kimiko
K
Life and Hygiene Division, Osaka Prefectural Institute of Public Health, Nakamichi 1-chome, Higashinari-ku, Osaka, Japan. tomioka@iph.pref.osaka.jp
Kumagai
Shinji
S
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005060:Europe; D017408:Guidelines as Topic; D006282:Health Personnel; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D016272:Occupational Health; D011481:Protective Clothing; D011482:Protective Devices; D012306:Risk; D017751:Safety Management; D014481:United States
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents