Hazardous Medicine Safety
Medically reviewed by Drugs.com. Last updated on Sep 1, 2024.
What do I need to know about hazardous medicine?
- Medicine you are taking to treat your illness may harm others.
- Your body fluids may have small amounts of the medicine. Others who handle your body fluids or the medicine are at risk for certain side effects:
- Skin or organ damage
- Cancer
- Problems getting pregnant
- Loss of pregnancy
- Birth defects
What can healthcare providers do to be safe?
- A sign may be placed on your room door. The sign will tell all healthcare providers that you are getting hazardous medicine.
- Healthcare providers may handle your medicine many times each day. Personal protective equipment (PPE) can help protect them. PPE includes gloves, a gown, a mask, and eye goggles. They will wear PPE when they give you the medicine and handle your body fluids.
What do I need to tell my visitors?
- Your visitors do not need to wear PPE. The risk is lower for your visitors because they will not touch the medicine.
- Tell visitors not to use your bathroom. Your bathroom may have some of your body fluid, such as urine. Your visitors may accidentally touch the fluid.
Care Agreement
You have the right to help plan your care. Learn about your health condition and how it may be treated. Discuss treatment options with your healthcare providers to decide what care you want to receive. You always have the right to refuse treatment. The above information is an educational aid only. It is not intended as medical advice for individual conditions or treatments. Talk to your doctor, nurse or pharmacist before following any medical regimen to see if it is safe and effective for you.© Copyright Merative 2024 Information is for End User's use only and may not be sold, redistributed or otherwise used for commercial purposes.
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Always consult your healthcare provider to ensure the information displayed on this page applies to your personal circumstances.