Pneumatic Transport System : what mechanical stress for our cytotoxic drugs?

Aim

The Pneumatic Transport System (PTS) permits a real traceability and improves the provision of cytotoxic drugs. In absence of studies and standards on PTS for cytotoxic drugs transport, and knowing the risks on biological sampling, we have studied characteristics of our PTS according to the norm ISO 15189 required by COFRAC for the accreditation of pneumatic transport in Medical Analysis Laboratorie (MAL).

Method

The distance, the acceleration/deceleration, the speed and vibrations have been studied thanks to a specific carrier with on board analysis tools. The 5 lines of PTS have been tested and the measurements have been repeated 3 times.

Outcomes

The carriers undergo 3 accelerations/decelerations during the transport. The length of longest line is 230 m with a transport time of 64.7sec. Average transportation speed of carriers is 3.6 m/s and maximum speed of 7.5 m/s. The vibrations undergo by the carriers are acceptable (assimilable to vibrations causing 5% of hemolysis in blood sample).

Conclusion

Our outcomes fulfill criterias of speed and vibrations required for MAL’s accreditation. By adding the data available on the possibility of transporting some monoclonal antibodies (trastuzumab, nivolumab, rituximab, cetuximab) by pneumatic transport, the PTS is our exclusive means of transport of cytotoxic drug (34 000 cytotoxic drug/years).