Under what environmental control must chemotherapy drugs be compounded?

• A. Laminar Flow Cabinet With Positive Pressure
• B. A Standard Hood With No Airflow
• C. Negative Pressure Environment Class II Or Class III Biological Safety Cabinet
• D. Vertical Flow Hood

Answer: (C)

Handling chemotherapy drugs requires strong containment to protect workers and prevent contamination of the workspace. The best approach is to compound these drugs in a negative-pressure environment provided by a Class II or Class III Biological Safety Cabinet. This setup keeps hazardous aerosols contained: inward airflow at the work opening prevents spills from escaping, and the cabinet’s HEPA-filtered exhaust cleans any air before it leaves. Maintaining negative pressure in the surrounding room adds an extra safety layer, so air flows into the room rather than out if a leak occurs.

Other options don’t offer the necessary protection. A laminar-flow cabinet with positive pressure would push air out into the room, potentially spreading contaminants. A standard hood with no airflow provides no containment at all. A vertical flow hood protects the product but not the worker or the environment from hazardous drugs and isn’t designed for this level of containment.