Refrigerated storage for antineoplastic HD must be in which configuration?

Refrigerated storage for antineoplastic HD must be in which configuration?

• A. Separate refrigerator within a negative pressure area with 12 ACPH or in a CSCA
• B. Standard household refrigerator in any area
• C. Refrigerator inside a positive pressure room with 6 ACPH
• D. No refrigerator requirement

Answer: (A)

The key idea is containment and ventilation for hazardous drugs. Refrigerated storage must be in a dedicated setup that prevents any drug vapors or aerosols from escaping to non‑hazardous areas. A separate refrigerator dedicated to antineoplastic hazards, placed in a negative‑pressure area with at least 12 air changes per hour, achieves this by pulling air into the room and exhausting it safely, reducing exposure risk. If the facility uses a containment secondary area (CSCA), storing in that containment space also meets the requirement because it provides the necessary engineering controls to contain the drugs. A standard household refrigerator in any area does not provide the needed containment or controlled airflow, so it’s not acceptable for HD storage. A refrigerator inside a positive‑pressure room would push any contaminants outward, increasing exposure risk, and in this context there is a need for negative pressure, not positive. There is a refrigerator requirement for storage when refrigeration is needed, so saying there is no refrigerator requirement would be incorrect.

The key idea is containment and ventilation for hazardous drugs. Refrigerated storage must be in a dedicated setup that prevents any drug vapors or aerosols from escaping to non‑hazardous areas. A separate refrigerator dedicated to antineoplastic hazards, placed in a negative‑pressure area with at least 12 air changes per hour, achieves this by pulling air into the room and exhausting it safely, reducing exposure risk. If the facility uses a containment secondary area (CSCA), storing in that containment space also meets the requirement because it provides the necessary engineering controls to contain the drugs.

A standard household refrigerator in any area does not provide the needed containment or controlled airflow, so it’s not acceptable for HD storage. A refrigerator inside a positive‑pressure room would push any contaminants outward, increasing exposure risk, and in this context there is a need for negative pressure, not positive. There is a refrigerator requirement for storage when refrigeration is needed, so saying there is no refrigerator requirement would be incorrect.