Pharmacy practitioners' adherence to safe-handling practices of chemotherapeutic drugs: A cross-sectional study in Saudi Arabia.

This article focuses on assessing chemotherapy drug handling practices among oncology pharmacists and pharmacy technicians in Saudi Arabia to evaluate adherence to safe-handling guidelines and identify barriers to personal protective equipment (PPE) use. A cross-sectional survey of 79 oncology pharmacy practitioners revealed that while most workplaces had written chemotherapy guidelines and adequate availability of gloves and gowns, the use of eye protection and face shields was notably low, and over half reported reusing disposable gowns. Approximately 28% experienced accidental chemotherapy exposure, with skin irritation being the most common adverse effect, yet only half had access to workplace medical surveillance. Barriers to PPE use included unavailability, discomfort, and cost, and although most participants received initial training, periodic updates were lacking, indicating areas for improvement in occupational safety practices.