AHA comments on USP proposals for hazardous drug handling in health care

The United States Pharmacopeial Convention should relegate its proposed general chapter on hazardous drug handling in health care settings to a “best practice” rather than an enforceable standard, AHA told the organization in comments submitted today. “Our members rely on the USP to provide them with guidelines and other products that reflect evidence-based standards that help to ensure safe and effective pharmacy production and dispensing,” wrote Linda Fishman, senior vice president of public policy analysis and development. “However, there is uncertainty regarding whether the proposed standards in this chapter fall within USP’s routine scope. Further, many of the proposals are supported by limited evidence. Therefore, the AHA recommends that the USP renumber this chapter above 1000, which, as we understand it, would relegate it to a ‘best practice,’ rather than an enforceable standard. This revision would allow USP and other health care organizations to continue to undertake reasonable and informed efforts to improve worker and patient safety until more robust employee-based practices are available.”