Isolators: The position in the UK

A brief overview is given of the current position in the UK regarding the selection of containment devices for the preparation of doses of chemotherapy in National Health Service (NHS) hospital pharmacy departments. The type of devices in use and the factors influencing their choice, location and operation are outlined. Recommendations on device selection in the UK have been made by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) and Health and Safety Executive (HSE) following studies to determine contamination levels and staff exposure in a number of hospital pharmacy units. Studies on contamination levels have been undertaken in a number of NHS Pharmacy Quality Control Laboratories, and some laboratories have recently invested in new technology to further investigate contamination levels.