USP General Chapter 800, governing the safe handling of hazardous drugs including chemotherapy agents, requires gloves used during hazardous drug handling to meet specific chemotherapy permeation testing standards — most commonly referenced against ASTM D6978 — a bar that standard medical exam gloves do not automatically meet regardless of their general quality or nitrile material composition.
The Compliance Gap Many Facilities Miss
Not every nitrile glove is chemotherapy-tested, and facilities sometimes assume their standard exam glove supply is adequate for hazardous drug handling simply because it's nitrile, without verifying the specific product has been tested and rated for chemotherapy permeation resistance. This gap can go unnoticed until a formal USP 800 compliance audit specifically checks glove documentation.
What to Verify
- Explicit ASTM D6978 chemotherapy permeation testing documentation for the specific glove product used in hazardous drug handling areas, not just general nitrile glove quality claims
- Correct glove thickness and double-gloving protocols matched to the specific procedure — compounding versus administration carry different requirements
- Glove change frequency protocols during extended hazardous drug handling procedures, since permeation resistance is time-limited even for properly rated gloves
Building Confident Compliance
Pharmacy and oncology nursing leadership should work directly with procurement to confirm the specific glove SKUs stocked in hazardous drug handling areas carry current chemotherapy permeation testing documentation, rather than assuming general nitrile glove specifications are sufficient — a straightforward verification step that closes a surprisingly common compliance gap.
Facilities handling hazardous drugs can review chemotherapy-tested glove options across Healix Medical Supply's gloves catalog.
