Blueprint for implementingUSPchapter 797 for compounding sterile preparations

Aligning pharmacy and health-system objectives to eliminate central-line-associated bacteremias

“…Even two years after a blueprint was published providing guidance on implementing change, pharmacists have struggled with chapter 797 requirements. 51 Although pharmacists and pharmacy technicians have an important role in reducing BSIs, a recent survey on compounding sterile preparations suggests how much remains to be done. Using the "ASHP Guidelines on Quality Assurance for Pharmacy-Prepared Sterile Products" from the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists as the standard, 52 the survey found that only 35.2% of respondents had a cleanroom meeting required standards, 5.2% were fully compliant with guideline garb requirements, 22.5% validated aseptic technique using media-fill test methods, and just 4.7% were fully compliant with documentation guidelines for highrisk preparations.…”

Instruction on compounded sterile preparations at U.S. schools of pharmacy

“…7 The appendix contains a list of available resources that schools of pharmacy can use to develop and maintain training courses in sterile preparations.…”

“…1 Others have expressed concern that new practitioners are inadequately prepared to compound sterile preparations and have concluded that schools of pharmacy either no longer teach students these skills or fail to do so adequately. [2][3][4][5][6][7] While anecdotal evidence from some practice sites may seem to support this premise, the type and extent of formal pharmacy education provided related to the compounded sterile preparations (CSPs) have not been examined in the literature in over 15 years, and this subject has not been studied since new compounding standards were published by the United States Pharmacopeia (USP) in 2004.…”

Vaginal drug administration in the hospital setting

“…Many vaginal drug dosage forms are easily prepared in a hospital pharmacy and do not require expensive equipment or special conditions as with sterile preparations. 59,60 For example, gels have recently been recognized as versatile drug delivery systems for vaginal administration mainly because they are easy and inexpensive to prepare, compatible with most active substances, and preferred by women. Also, recent advances in polymer science resulting in improved gelling agents have boosted their use, particularly because they can be formulated to allow mucoadhesion and thus remain in the vagina longer.…”