# NIOSH List of Antineoplastic and Other Hazardous Drugs

in Healthcare Settings 2012

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Centers for Disease Control and Prevention National Institute for Occupational Safety and HealthDEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Centers for Disease Control and Prevention National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health 

# NIOSH List of Antineoplastic and Other Hazardous Drugs in Healthcare Settings 2012This document is in the public domain and may be freely copied or reprinted.



## Disclaimer Mention of any company or product does not constitute endorsement by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). In addition, citations to Web sites external to NIOSH do not constitute NIOSH endorsement of the sponsoring organizations or their programs or products. Furthermore, NIOSH is not responsible for the content of these Web sites. 

## Ordering Information To receive documents or other information about occupational safety and health topics, contact NIOSH at Telephone: 1–800–CDC–INFO (1–800–232–4636) TTY:1–888–232–6348 E-mail: cdcinfo@cdc.gov or visit the NIOSH Web site at www.cdc.gov/niosh For a monthly update on news at NIOSH, subscribe to NIOSH eNewsby visiting www.cdc.gov/niosh/eNews.
DHHS (NIOSH) Publication Number 2012−150 (Supersedes 2010–167) June 20121 

### P reamble : The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Alert: Preventing Occupational Exposures to Antineoplastic and Other Hazardous Drugs in Health Care Settingswas published in September 2004 (http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/docs/2004-165/). In Appendix A of the Alert, NIOSH identified a sample list of major hazardous drugs. The list was compiled from infor

mation provided by four institutions that have generated lists of hazardous drugs for their respec

tive facilities and by the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) from the American Hospital Formulary Service Drug Information (AHFS DI) monographs [ASHP/ AHFS DI 2003]. The 2004 list was updated in 2010; this update adds 26 drugs to the 2010 list. These additions are new drugs or existing drugs that had new warnings from 2007 to 2009. The review process for the addition of the new listings is described in the Federal Register: http://www.cdc.gov/ niosh/docket/archive/pdfs/NIOSH-190/0190-080211-frn.pdf



# Appendix A 

# · Drugs Considered Hazardous

General Approach to Handling Hazardous Drugs
In the Alert, NIOSH presents a standard pre

cautions or universal precautions approach to handling hazardous drugs safely: that is, NIOSH recommends that all hazardous drugs be handled as outlined in the Alert. Therefore, no attempt has been made to perform drug risk assessments or propose exposure limits. The area of new drug development is rapidly evolving as unique approaches are being taken to treat cancer and other serious diseases.



### Defining Hazardous Drugs
Hazardous drugs include those used for can

cer chemotherapy, antiviral drugs, hormones, some bioengineered drugs, and other miscella

neous drugs. The definition of hazardous drugs used in the Alert is based on an ASHP defi

nition that was originally developed in 1990 [ASHP 1990]. Thus the definition may not ac

curately reflect the toxicity criteria associated with the newer generation of pharmaceuticals entering the health care setting. For example, bioengineered drugs target specific sites in the body; and although they may or may not be toxic to the patient, some may not pose a risk to health care workers. NIOSH and other organizations are still gath

ering data on the potential toxicity and health effects related to highly potent drugs and bio

engineered drugs. Therefore, when working with any hazardous drug, health care workers should follow a standard precautions approach along with any recommendations included in the manufacturer’s MSDSs.



### ASHP Definition of Hazardous Drugs
ASHP defines hazardous drugs in their 1990 revision of Technical Assistance Bulletin on Handling Hazardous Drugs[ASHP 1990]. The bulletin gives criteria for identifying poten

tially hazardous drugs that should be handled in accordance with an established safety pro

gram [McDiarmid et al. 1991; Arrington and McDiarmid 1993]. The criteria are prioritized to reflect the hierarchy of potential toxicity de

scribed below. Since the hazardous drugs cov

ered by the Alert were designed as therapeu

tic agents for humans, human toxicity profiles should be considered superior to any data from animal models or in vitro systems. Additional2 guidance for defining hazardous drugs is avail

able in the following citations: carcinogenic

ity [61 Fed. Reg. 17960–18011 (1996b); IARC 2010], teratogenicity [56 Fed. Reg. 63798–63826 (1991)], developmental toxicity [56 Fed. Reg. 63798–63826 (1991)], and reproductive toxic

ity [61 Fed. Reg. 56274–56322 (1996a)]. Physi

cal characteristics of the agents (such as liquid versus solid, or water versus lipid solubility) also need to be considered in determining the potential for occupational exposure.



### NIOSH Revision of ASHP Definition
The 1990 ASHP definition of hazardous drugs * was revised by the NIOSH Working Group on Hazardous Drugs for the Alert. Drugs consid

ered hazardous include those that exhibit one or more of the following six characteristics in humans or animals:
 Carcinogenicity
 Teratogenicity or other developmental toxicity†
 Reproductive toxicity†

*ASHP [1990] definition of hazardous drugs 1. Genotoxicity (i.e., mutagenicity and clastogenicity in short-term test systems) 2. Carcinogenicity in animal models, in the patient population, or both, as reported by the Interna

tional Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) 3. Teratogenicity or fertility impairment in animal studies or in treated patients 4. Evidence of serious organ or other toxicity at low doses in animal models or treated patients.
† All drugs have toxic side effects, but some exhibit tox

icity at low doses. The level of toxicity reflects a con

tinuum from relatively nontoxic to production of toxic effects in patients at low doses (for example, a few mil

ligrams or less). For example, a daily therapeutic dose of 10 mg/day or a dose of 1 mg/kg per day in labora

tory animals that produces serious organ toxicity, de

velopmental toxicity, or reproductive toxicity has been used by the pharmaceutical industry to develop occu

pational exposure limits (OELs) of less than 10 μg/m 3 after applying appropriate uncertainty factors [Sargent and Kirk 1988; Naumann and Sargent 1997; Sargent et  Organ toxicity at low doses †
 Genotoxicity‡
 Structure and toxicity profiles of new drugs that mimic existing drugs determined haz

ardous by the above criteria


### Determining Whether a Drug is Hazardous
Many hazardous drugs used to treat cancer bind to or damage DNA (for example, alkylat

ing agents). Other antineoplastic drugs, some antivirals, antibiotics, and bioengineered drugs interfere with cell growth or proliferation, or with DNA synthesis. In some cases, the non

selective actions of these drugs disrupt the growth and function of both healthy and dis

eased cells, resulting in toxic side effects for treated patients. These nonselective actions can also cause adverse effects in health care workers who are inadvertently exposed to haz

ardous drugs. Early concerns about occupational exposure to antineoplastic drugs first appeared in the 1970s. Although the antineoplastic drugs remain the principal focus of the Alert, other drugs may also be considered hazardous because they are potent (small quantities produce a physiologi

cal effect) or cause irreversible effects. As the use and number of these potent drugs increase, so do opportunities for hazardous exposures among health care workers. For example, an

al. 2002]. OELs in this range are typically established for potent or toxic drugs in the pharmaceutical indus

try. Under all circumstances, an evaluation of all avail

able data should be conducted to protect health care workers.

‡ In evaluating mutagenicity for potentially hazardous

drugs, responses from multiple test systems are needed before precautions can be required for handling such agents. The EPA evaluations include the type of cells af

fected and in vitro versus in vivo testing [51 Fed. Reg. 34006–34012 (1986)].3 tineoplastic drugs such as cyclophosphamide have immunosuppressant effects that proved beneficial for treating nonmalignant diseas

es such as rheumatoid arthritis and multiple sclerosis [Baker et al. 1987; Moody et al. 1987; Chabner et al. 1996; Abel 2000]. This document presents criteria and sources of information for determining whether a drug is hazardous. When a drug has been judged to be hazardous, the various precautions outlined in the Alert should be applied when handling that drug. Also included is a list of drugs that should be handled as hazardous. This list is based on a compilation of lists from four health care fa

cilities, one drug manufacturers’ organization, and NIOSH. In addition to using the list of hazardous drugs presented here, each organization should cre

ate its own list of drugs considered to be haz

ardous. This document presents guidance for making such a facility-specific list (see section entitled How to Generate your own List of Haz

ardous Drugs ). Once this list is made, newly purchased drugs should be evaluated against the organization’s hazardous drug criteria and added to the list if they are deemed hazardous. Some organizations may have inadequate re

sources for determining their own list of haz

ardous drugs. If so, the sample list of hazardous drugs in this document will help employers and workers to determine when precautions are needed. However, reliance on such a pub

lished list is a concern because it quickly be

comes outdated as new drugs continually enter the market or listed drugs are removed when additional information becomes avail

able. NIOSH will update a list periodically, adding new drugs considered to be hazardous and removing those that require reclassifica

tion. This hazardous drug list will be posted on the NIOSH Web site at www.cdc.gov/niosh/ topics/hazdrug/. Ho 

### w to Generate You Own List of Hazardous Drugs

The OSHA hazard communication standard [29 CFR 1910.1200] requires employers to de

velop a hazard communication program appro

priate for their unique workplace. An essential part of the program is the identification of all hazardous drugs a worker may encounter in the facility. Compliance with the OSHA hazard communication standard entails (1) evaluating whether these drugs meet one or more of the criteria for defining hazardous drugs and (2) posting a list of the hazardous drugs to ensure worker safety. Institutions may wish to compare their lists to the sample listing in this document or on the NIOSH Web site. It is not likely that every health care provider or facility will use all drugs that have received U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) ap

proval, and the OSHA hazard communication standard does not mandate evaluation of every marketed drug. Instead, compliance requires practice-specific assessments for drugs used at any one time by a facility. However, hazardous drug evaluation is a continual process. Local hazard communication programs should pro

vide for assessment of new drugs as they enter the marketplace, and when appropriate, reas

sessment of their presence on hazardous drug lists as toxicological data become available to support recategorization. Toxicological data are often incomplete or unavailable for investi

gational drugs. However, if the mechanism of action suggests that there may be a concern, it is prudent to handle them as hazardous drugs until adequate information becomes available to exclude them. With the increased availability of oral antineo

plastic and other hazardous drugs, additional precautions are required in order to prevent worker exposure to these formulations. Some4 drugs defined as hazardous may not pose a sig

nificant risk of direct occupational exposure because of their dosage formulation (for ex

ample, coated tablets or capsules—solid, intact medications that are administered to patients without modifying the formulation). Uncoated tablets may present a risk of exposure from dust by skin contact and/or inhalation when the tablets are counted [Shahsavarani et al. 1993]. However, they may pose a risk if solid drug formulations are altered, such as by crushing tablets or making solutions from them outside a ventilated cabinet. All hazardous drugs, regardless of the formula

tion, should be labeled as such to prevent im

proper handling. Tablet and capsule forms of hazardous drugs should not be placed in auto

mated counting machines, which subject them to stress and may introduce powdered contam

inants into the work area. Counting and pour

ing of hazardous drugs should be done care

fully, and clean equipment should be dedicated for use with these drugs. Crushing tablets or opening capsules should be avoided and liquid formulations should be used whenever pos

sible. During the compounding of hazardous drugs (e.g., crushing, dissolving, or preparing a solution or an ointment), workers should wear non-permeable gowns and double gloves. Compounding should take place in a venti

lated cabinet whenever possible [ASHP 2006].



### Where to Find Information Related to Drug Toxicity
Practice-specific lists of hazardous drugs (usu

ally developed by pharmacy or nursing depart

ments) should be comprehensive, including all hazardous medications routinely used or very likely to be used by a local practice. Some of the resources that employers can use to evalu

ate the hazard potential of a drug include, but are not limited to, the following :  MSDSs
 Product labeling approved by the U.S. FDA (package inserts)
 Special health warnings from drug manufac

turers, FDA, and other professional groups and organizations
 Reports and case studies published in med

ical and other health care profession jour

nals
 Evidence-based recommendations from oth

er facilities that meet the criteria defining hazardous drugs


### Examples of Hazardous Drugs
The following list contains a sampling of ma

jor hazardous drugs. The list (Table 1) was compiled from information provided from (1) the NIOSH Alert [NIOSH 2004] that was based on lists from four institutions that have generated lists of hazardous drugs for their re

spective facilities and the American Hospital Formulary Service Drug Information (AHFS DI) monographs [ASHP/AHFS 2003], (2) the 2010 NIOSH update to the 2004 list covering the period from 2004 to 2007 [NIOSH 2010], and (3) new drug approvals and new drug warnings from 2007 to 2009. The most recent review resulted in the addition of 26 new en

tries to the list. In addition, 15 drugs were removed from the 2010 list. Nine of these are no longer avail

able in the U.S., two are radio-pharmaceuticals that are regulated by the Nuclear Regulatory Agency and require special handling, and four are determined to not meet the criteria for a hazardous drug as defined by NIOSH [NIOSH 2004, 2010] (Table 2). The OSHA hazard com

munication standard requires hazardous drugs to be handled using special precautions. The mandate applies not only to health care pro

fessionals who provide direct patient care but5 also to others who support patient care by participating in product acquisition, storage, transportation, housekeeping, and waste dis

posal. Institutions may want to adopt this list or compare theirs with the list on the NIOSH Web site.
CAUTION : Drugs purchased and used by a facility may have entered the marketplace after the list below was assembled. Therefore, this list may not be all-inclusive. If you use a drug that is not included in the list of examples, check the available literature to see whether the unlisted drug should be treated as hazardous. Check the MSDS or the proper handling section of the package insert; or check with other institutions that might be using the same drug. If any of the documents mention car

cinogenicity, genotoxicity, teratogenicity, or repro

ductive or developmental toxicity, use the pre

cautions stipulated in this Alert. If a drug meets one or more of the criteria for hazardous drugs listed in this Alert, handle it as hazardous. The listing below will be updated periodically on this Web site [ www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/ hazdrug/]

. The attached list of hazardous drugs super

sedes the 2004 list [http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/ docs/2004-165/ and the 2010 list: http://www. cdc.gov/niosh/docs/2010-167/].6 

### Table 1. Sample List of Drugs that Should be Handled as Hazardous*
Drug Source AHFS Pharmacologic-therapeutic classification Acitretin 7 88:04 Vitamin A Aldesleukin 4,5 10:00 Antineoplastic agents Ambrisentan 7 24:12.92 Vasodilating agents, miscellaneous Alefacept 6 84:92 Skin and mucous membrane agents, miscellaneous Alitretinoin 3,4,5 84:92 Skin and mucous membrane agents, miscellaneous Altretamine 1,2,3,4,5 10:00 Antineoplastic agents Amsacrine 3,5 Not in AHFS (antineoplastic agent) Anastrozole 1,5 10:00 Antineoplastic agents Arsenic trioxide 1,2,3,4,5 10:00 Antineoplastic agents Asparaginase 1,2,3,4,5 10:00 Antineoplastic agents Azacitidine 3,5 10:00 Antineoplastic agents Azathioprine 2,3,5 92:44 Immunosuppressant agents Bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) † 1,2,4 80:12 Vaccines

Bendamustine HCl 7 10:00 Antineoplastic agents Bexarotene 2,3,4,5 10:00 Antineoplastic agents Bicalutamide 1,5 10:00 Antineoplastic agents Bleomycin 1,2,3,4,5 10:00 Antineoplastic agents Bortezomib 6 10:00 Antineoplastic agents Bosentan 6 24:12.92 Vasodilating agents, miscellaneous Busulfan 1,2,3,4,5 10:00 Antineoplastic agents Cabergoline 7 28:36.20.04 Ergot-derivative dopamine receptor agonists Capecitabine 1,2,3,4,5 10:00 Antineoplastic agents Carbamazepine 7 28:12.92 Anticonvulsants, miscellaneous Carboplatin 1,2,3,4,5 10:00 Antineoplastic agents Carmustine 1,2,3,4,5 10:00 Antineoplastic agents Cetrorelix acetate 5 92:40 Gonadotropin-releasing hormone antagonists Chlorambucil 1,2,3,4,5 10:00 Antineoplastic agents Chloramphenicol 1,5 8:12.08 Chloramphenicols Choriogonadotropin alfa 5 68:18 Gonadotropins
(Continued) See footnotes at end of table7 

### Table 1 (Continued). Sample List of Drugs that Should be Handled as Hazardous* Drug Source AHFS Pharmacologic-therapeutic classification Cidofovir 3,5 8:18.32 Nucleosides and nucleotides Cisplatin 1,2,3,4,5 10:00 Antineoplastic agents Cladribine 1,2,3,4,5 10:00 Antineoplastic agents Clofarabine 6 10:00 Antineoplastic agents Clonazepam 7 28:12.08 Benzodiazepines Colchicine 5 92:16 Antigout agents Cyclophosphamide 1,2,3,4,5 10:00 Antineoplastic agents Cyclosporin 1 92:44 Immunosuppressive agents Cytarabine 1,2,3,4,5 10:00 Antineoplastic agents Dacarbazine 1,2,3,4,5 10:00 Antineoplastic agents Dactinomycin 1,2,3,4,5 10:00 Antineoplastic agents Dasatinib 6 10:00 Antineoplastic agents Daunorubicin HCl 1,2,3,4,5 10:00 Antineoplastic agents Decitibine 6 10:00 Antineoplastic agents Degarelix 7 10:00 Antineoplastic agents Denileukin 3,4,5 10:00 Antineoplastic agents Diethylstilbestrol 5 Not in AHFS (nonsteroidal synthetic estrogen) Dinoprostone 5 76:00 Oxytocics Docetaxel 1,2,3,4,5 10:00 Antineoplastic agents Doxorubicin 1,2,3,4,5 10:00 Antineoplastic agents Dronedarone HCl 7 24:04.04 Antiarrythmics Dutasteride 5 92:08 5-alpha reductase inhibitors Entecavir 6 8:18.32 Nucleosides and nucleotides Epirubicin 1,2,3,4,5 10:00 Antineoplastic agents Ergonovine/ methylergonovine 5 76:00 Oxytocics

Estradiol 1,5 68:16.04 Estrogens Estramustine phosphate 1,2,3,4,5 10:00 Antineoplastic agents Estrogen-progestin combinations 5 68:12 Contraceptives
Estrogens, conjugated 5 68:16.04 Estrogens Estrogens, esterified 5 68:16.04 Estrogens (Continued) See footnotes at end of table8 Drug Source AHFS Pharmacologic-therapeutic classification Estrone 5 68:16.04 Estrogens Estropipate 5 68:16.04 Estrogens Etoposide 1,2,3,4,5 10:00 Antineoplastic agents Everolimus 7 10:00 Antineoplastic agents Exemestane 1,5 10:00 Antineoplastic agents Finasteride 1,3,5 92:08 5-alpha reductase inhibitors Floxuridine 1,2,3,4,5 10:00 Antineoplastic agents Fludarabine 1,2,3,4,5 10:00 Antineoplastic agents Fluorouracil 1,2,3,4,5 10:00 Antineoplastic agents Fluoxymesterone 5 68:08 Androgens Flutamide 1,2,5 10:00 Antineoplastic agents Fulvestrant 5 10:00 Antineoplastic agents Ganciclovir 1,2,3,4,5 8:18.32 Nucleosides and nucleotides Ganirelix acetate 5 92:40 Gonadotropin-releasing hormone antagonists Gemcitabine 1,2,3,4,5 10:00 Antineoplastic agents Gemtuzumab ozogamicin 1,3,4,5 10:00 Antineoplastic agents Gonadotropin, chorionic 5 68:18 Gonadotropins Goserelin 1,2,5 10:00 Antineoplastic agents Hydroxyurea 1,2,3,4,5 10:00 Antineoplastic agents Idarubicin 1,2,3,4,5 10:00 Antineoplastic agents Ifosfamide 1,2,3,4,5 10:00 Antineoplastic agents Imatinib mesylate 1,3,4,5 10:00 Antineoplastic agents Irinotecan HCl 1,2,3,4,5 10:00 Antineoplastic agents Ixabepilone 7 10:00 Antineoplastic agents Leflunomide 3,5 92:36 Disease-modifying antirheumatic agents Lenalidomide 6 92:20 Biologic response modifiers Letrozole 1,5 10:00 Antineoplastic agents Leuprolide acetate 1,2,5 10:00 Antineoplastic agents Lomustine 1,2,3,4,5 10:00 Antineoplastic agents Mechlorethamine 1,2,3,4,5 10:00 Antineoplastic agents Medroxyprogesterone acetate 6 68:32 Progestins
Megestrol 1,5 10:00 Antineoplastic agents (Continued) See footnotes at end of table 

### Table 1 (Continued). Sample List of Drugs that Should be Handled as Hazardous*9 Drug Source AHFS Pharmacologic-therapeutic classification Melphalan 1,2,3,4,5 10:00 Antineoplastic agents Menotropins 5 68:18 Gonadotropins Mercaptopurine 1,2,3,4,5 10:00 Antineoplastic agents Methotrexate 1,2,3,4,5 10:00 Antineoplastic agents Methyltestosterone 5 68:08 Androgens Mifepristone 5 76:00 Oxytocics Mitomycin 1,2,3,4,5 10:00 Antineoplastic agents Mitotane 1,4,5 10:00 Antineoplastic agents Mitoxantrone HCl 1,2,3,4,5 10:00 Antineoplastic agents Mycophenolate mofetil 1,3,5 92:44 Immunosuppressive agents Mycophenolic acid 7 92:44 Immunosuppressive agents Nafarelin 5 68:18 Gonadotropins Nelarabine 6 10:00 Antineoplastic agents Nilotinib 7 10:00 Antineoplastic agents Nilutamide 1,5 10:00 Antineoplastic agents Oxaliplatin 1,3,4,5 10:00 Antineoplastic agents Oxcarbazepine 7 28:12.92 Anticonvulsants, miscellaneous Oxytocin 5 76:00 Oxytocics Paclitaxel 1,2,3,4,5 10:00 Antineoplastic agents Palifermin 6 84:16 Cell stimulants and proliferants Paroxetine ** 6, 7 28:16.04.20 Selective serotonin uptake inhibitors Pazopanib HCl 7 10:00 Antineoplastic agents Pegaspargase 1,2,3,4,5 10:00 Antineoplastic agents Pemetrexed 6 10:00 Antineoplastic agents Pentamidine isethionate 1,2,3,5 8:30.92 Antiprotozoals, miscellaneous Pentetate calcium trisodium †† 6 Not in AHFS

Pentostatin 1,2,3,4,5 10:00 Antineoplastic agents Phenoxybenzamine HCl 7 12:16.04.04 Non-selective alpha-adrenergic blocking agents Pipobroman 3,5 Not in AHFS (antineoplastic agent) Plerixafor 7 20:16 Hematopoietic agents Podofilox 5 84:92 Miscellaneous skin and mucous membrane agents (mitotic inhibitor) (Continued) See footnotes at end of table 

### Table 1 (Continued). Sample List of Drugs that Should be Handled as Hazardous*10 Drug Source AHFS Pharmacologic-therapeutic classification Podophyllum resin 5 84:92 Skin and mucous membrane agents, miscellaneous Pralatrexate 7 10:00 Antineoplastic agents Procarbazine 1,2,3,4,5 10:00 Antineoplastic agents Progesterone 5 68:32 Progestins Progestins 5 68:12 Contraceptives Raloxifene 5 68:16.12 Estrogen agonists-antagonists Rasagiline mesylate 6 28:36 Antiparkinsonian agents Ribavirin 1,2,5 8:18.32 Nucleosides and nucleotides Risperidone 6 28:16.08.04 Atypical antipsychotics Romidepsin 7 10:00 Antineoplastic agents Sirolimus 6 92:44 Immunosuppressive agents Sorafenib 6 10:00 Antineoplastic agents Streptozocin 1,2,3,4,5 10:00 Antineoplastic agents Sunitinib malate 6 10:00 Antineoplastic agents Tacrolimus 1,5 92:44 Immunosuppressive agents Tamoxifen 1,2,5 10:00 Antineoplastic agents Televancin 7 8:12.28.16 Glycopeptides Temozolomide 3,4,5 10:00 Antineoplastic agents Temsirolimus 7 10:00 Antineoplastic agents Teniposide 1,2,3,4,5 10:00 Antineoplastic agents Testolactone 5 10:00 Antineoplastic agents Testosterone 5 68:08 Androgens Tetracycline HCl 7 8:12.24 Tetracyclines Thalidomide 1,3,5 92:20 Biologic response modifiers Thioguanine 1,2,3,4,5 10:00 Antineoplastic agents Thiotepa 1,2,3,4,5 10:00 Antineoplastic agents Topotecan 1,2,3,4,5 10:00 Antineoplastic agents Toremifene citrate 1,5 10:00 Antineoplastic agents Tretinoin 1,2,3,5 84:16 Cell stimulants and proliferants Trifluridine 1,2,5 52:04.20 Antivirals Triptorelin 5 10:00 Antineoplastic agents Uracil mustard 3,5 Not in AHFS (antineoplastic agent)
(Continued) See footnotes at end of table 

### Table 1 (Continued). Sample List of Drugs that Should be Handled as Hazardous*11 Drug Source AHFS Pharmacologic-therapeutic classification Valganciclovir 1,3,5 8:18.32 Nucleosides and nucleotides Valproic acid/ divalproex Na 7 28:12.92 Anticonvulsants, miscellaneous

Valrubicin 1,2,3,5 10:00 Antineoplastic agents Vidarabine 1,2,5 Not in AHFS Vigabatrin 7 28:12.92 Anticonvulsants, miscellaneous Vinblastine sulfate 1,2,3,4,5 10:00 Antineoplastic agents Vincristine sulfate 1,2,3,4,5 10:00 Antineoplastic agents Vinorelbine tartrate 1,2,3,4,5 10:00 Antineoplastic agents Vorinostat 6 10:00 Antineoplastic agents Zidovudine 1,2,5 8:18:08 Antiretroviral agents Ziprasidone HCl 7 28:16.08.04 Atypical antipsychotics Zoledronic acid 7 92:24 Bone resorption inhibitors Zonisamide 6 28:12.92 Anticonvulsants, miscellaneous

* These lists of hazardous drugs were used with the permission of the institutions that provided them and were adapted for

use by NIOSH. The sample lists are intended to guide health care providers in diverse practice settings and should not be construed as complete representations of all of the hazardous drugs used at the referenced institutions. Some drugs defined as hazardous may not pose a significant risk of direct occupational exposure because of their dosage formulation (for example, intact medications such as coated tablets or capsules that are administered to patients without modifying the formulation). However, they may pose a risk if solid drug formulations are altered outside a ventilated cabinet (for example, if tablets are crushed or dissolved, or if capsules are pierced or opened). † BCG preparation should be done using aseptic techniques. To avoid cross-contamination, parenteral drugs should not be

prepared in areas where BCG has been prepared. A separate area for the preparation of BCG suspension is recommended. All equipment, supplies, and receptacles in contact with BCG should be handled and disposed of as biohazardous. If prepa

ration cannot be performed in a containment device, then respiratory protection, gloves and a gown should be worn to avoid inhalation or contact with BCG organisms.

1. The NIH Clinical Center, Bethesda, MD (Revised 8/2002). The NIH Health Clinical Center Hazardous Drug (HD)

List is part of the NIH Clinical Center’s hazard communication program. It was developed in compliance with the OSHA hazard communication standard [29 CFR 1910.1200] as it applies to hazardous drugs used in the workplace. The list is continually revised and represents the diversity of medical practice at the NIH Clinical Center; however, its content does not reflect an exhaustive review of all FDA-approved medications that may be considered hazardous, and it is not intended for use outside the NIH. 2. The Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore, MD (Revised 9/2002). 3. The Northside Hospital, Atlanta, GA (Revised 8/2002). 4. The University of Michigan Hospitals and Health Centers, Ann Arbor, MI (Revised 2/2003) 5. This sample listing of hazardous drugs was compiled by the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America

(PhRMA) using information from the AHFS DI monographs published by ASHP in selected AHFS PharmacologicTherapeutic Classification categories [ASHP/AHFS DI 2003] and applying the definition for hazardous drugs. The list also includes drugs from other sources that satisfy the definition for hazardous drugs [PDR 2004; Sweetman 2002; Shepard 2001; Schardein 2000; REPROTOX 2003]. Newly approved drugs that have structures or toxicological pro

files that mimic the drugs on this list should also be included. This list was revised in June 2004. 6. NIOSH addition 2010 updated using ASHP/AHFS DI 2010. 7. NIOSH addition 2012 updated using ASHP/AHFS DI 2011.

** 2010, Paroxetine HCl; 2012, Paroxetine mesylate †† Refers to non-radio-labeled formulation only. 

### Table 1 (Continued). Sample List of Drugs that Should be Handled as Hazardous*12 Drugs reclassified as not meeting criteria for a hazardous drug * Drug AHFS Pharmacologic-therapeutic classification alemtuzumab 10:00 Antineoplastic agents interferon alfa 2a 10:00 Antineoplastic agents interferon alfa 2b 10:00 Antineoplastic agents interferon alfa n3 10:00 Antineoplastic agents

Radio-pharmaceuticals that are regulated by Nuclear Regulatory Commission, which directs how they are handled † Drug AHFS Pharmacologic-therapeutic classification ibritumomab tiuxetan 10:00 Antineoplastic agents tositumomab 10:00 Antineoplastic agents

Drugs that are currently not available in the United States ‡ Drug AHFS Pharmacologic-therapeutic classification dienestrol 68:16.04 Estrogens interferon alfa n1 10:00 Antineoplastic agents perphosphamide Not in AHFS (antineoplastic agent) piritrexim isethionate Not in AHFS (antineoplastic agent) plicamycin Not in AHFS (antineoplastic agent) prednumustine Not in AHFS (antineoplastic agent) raltitrexed Not in AHFS (antineoplastic agent) trimetrexate glucuronate 8:30.92 Miscellaneous antiprotozoals vindesine Not in AHFS (antineoplastic agent) 

### Table 2. Drugs Deleted from 2010 Appendix A

* The 2004 NIOSH list of hazardous drugs was a compilation of hazardous drug lists provided by other organizations.

These four drugs were reviewed using the NIOSH criteria and found not to meet the criteria for listing as hazardous. † Regulations for handling radiopharmaceuticals can be found at: U.S. NRC: Medical Uses of Nuclear Materials, [http://

www.nrc.gov/materials/miau/med-use.html]. ‡ The NIOSH hazardous drug list is based on approvals by the U.S. FDA. These drugs are not approved by the U.S. FDA

and are no longer available in the U.S. However, some may be available in other countries.13 

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## Acknowledgments This document was written by Thomas H. Connor, PhD; Barbara A. MacKenzie, BS; D. Gayle DeBord, PhD; Douglas B. Trout, MD, MHS; and James P. O’Callaghan, PhD. (NIOSH). Vanessa Williams and Tom Ziegler provided graphic design and production services.To receive NIOSH documents or more information aboutoccupational safety and health topics, contact NIOSH at1–800–CDC–INFO(1–800–232–4636)TTY: 1–888–232–6348E-mail: cdcinfo@cdc.govor visit the NIOSH Web site at www.cdc.gov/niosh.For a monthly update on news at NIOSH, subscribe toNIOSH eNewsby visitingwww.cdc.gov/niosh/eNews.DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No. 2012–150safer • healthier • peopletmDelivering on the Nation’s promise:safety and health at work for all peoplethrough research and prevention

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