By Tiene Bauters, Ghent University Hospital, Pharmacy, Belgium

Tackling exposure to carcinogen, mutagen and reprotoxic substances in both workplaces and the wider population is a core competency of the European Union. 

Recent amendments from the European Parliament to the Carcinogens and Mutagens Directive have mandated the Commission to conduct assess whether to amend this Directive to include hazardous drugs, including cytotoxic drugs, for the purpose of ensuring occupational safety of workers in healthcare settings.

A meeting about the topic “PROTECTING HEALTHCARE WORKERS FROM HAZARDOUS DRUGS EXPOSURE: WHAT CAN THE EU DO?” was held at the European Parliament on Wednesday 29 January 2020. A group of oncology pharmacists, oncology nurses, representatives of the EU institutions and others were invited to discuss the current status and understanding of hazardous drugs exposure in European health settings; past, current and forthcoming European initiatives to better protect healthcare workers from this and means by which interested stakeholders can support attention and action upon this topic.