Hazardous drug handling is evolving from simple regulatory compliance to measurable safety and workflow optimization. Closed System Drug-Transfer Devices (CSTDs) play a central role in reducing contamination and exposure risks. This overview addresses common questions about how the Chemfort® CSTD enhances protection, supports regulatory alignment and integrates into hazardous drug pepraration and delivery.

Closed System Drug-Transfer Devices (CSTDs) were developed specifically to reduce occupational exposure to hazardous drugs while also improving medicine utilization and workflow efficiency. CSTDs address both safety and financial performance. As a result, their adoption represents a significant clinical safety measure and a meaningful operational investment.

Traditional drug transfer methods put healthcare professionals at risk of occupational exposure. CSTDs bring hazardous drug handling into the modern age and provide safety and confidence for healthcare workers. So what is the real difference between CSTDs and traditional systems?

NIOSH (US National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health) updates its list of hazardous drugs periodically to reflect new findings and ensure workplace safety standards. In 2024, NIOSH revised its list of hazardous drugs to enhance workplace safety and protect healthcare professionals from potential health risks associated with handling these substances. Here's what you need to know.

As healthcare systems continue to emphasize safety and efficiency, CSTDs have become essential for reducing the risk of exposure to hazardous drugs, particularly in chemotherapy preparation and administration. These devices play a key role in protecting both healthcare workers and patients. Looking ahead to 2025, advances in CSTD technologies will further enhance safety standards and address emerging challenges in drug handling. Here are the key trends to watch.

Evidence suggests that using CSTDs as part of regular work practice can reduce or eliminate occupational exposure to hazardous drugs. In fact, research supports the consistent use of CSTDs in combination with standardized cleaning procedures to reduce exposure to hazardous drug surface contamination in treatment settings.

CSTDs protect healthcare professionals from potential costly healthcare issues by reducing occupational exposure to hazardous drugs. In addition, CSTDs deliver economic benefits by reducing wasted medication through drug vial optimization and by extending beyond use dating.

Healthcare providers are continuously challenged to provide safe and accurate chemotherapy preparations. Automated chemotherapy systems empower pharmacists and technicians with tools to improve the compounding process by making it shorter and more reliable, and by reducing the occurrence of medication misidentification and dosage quantity errors.

Veterinarians routinely face the risk of direct exposure to hazardous drugs. This can occur when treating house pets or large animals with veterinary pharmaceuticals, including antineoplastic and other hazardous drugs. Exposure can occur at all stages of treatment from compounding to administration as well as disposing of drug residue. Chemfort^® CSTD products provide safety by minimizing the exposure of veterinarians, veterinary staff, and animal owners to hazardous drugs.

There's no question that healthcare wouldn't be the same without nurses. In the field of oncology, nurses play a vital role in caring for patients and their families. Cancer care in the COVID-19 era has presented oncology nurses with even more challenges, and healthcare will only continue to evolve in new ways after the pandemic. Here are a few trends in oncology nursing that are here to stay.

Healthcare professionals such as pharmacists, oncology nurses and veterinarians need to protect themselves when they work or come into contact with hazardous drugs. Closed-system drug-transfer devices (CSTDs) help healthcare professional reduce the risk of this occupational exposure. Working with a CSTD requires medical professionals to understand how these innovative systems works. Consider some common questions about CSTDs.

Hospital administrators have a key role in overseeing the organizational side of hospitals and medical facilities. Hospital administrators must ensure that their facility is using the most efficient and effective practices to provide optimal healthcare. Lean management principles are five steps that hospital administrators can use to improve workplace efficiency. These steps create a framework for efficient workflow.