Clyde has answered many specific questions from pharmacists (see FAQs below).  For more complex questions, such as "should we invest in a sterile compounding robot," please contact Clyde for a detailed consultation.  Many sterile compounding issues are also addressed at the websites below.

Answers to common questions about <797>:

Q: Can I compound both hazardous and non-hazardous drugs in the same isolator?

A: Practically speaking, compounding hazardous and non-hazardous drugs in the same isolator would not work. Hazardous drug compounding requires negative air pressure in a compounding aseptic containment isolator; while non-hazardous compounding requires positive pressure in a compounding aseptic isolator. Besides, the isolator would have to be appropriately cleaned after hazardous compounding before non-hazardous compounding could be done.

Q: Prior to compounding, do I have to store hazardous drugs in a separate storeroom?

A: With one exception, USP <797> says that hazardous drugs should be stored separately in a room with negative pressure and at least 12 air changes per hour. The exception is that, in a small operation, all hazardous drugs can be stored in the negative pressure hazardous compounding buffer room. This does create the problem of where to put hazardous drugs that require refrigerated or frozen storage, because refrigerators and freezers are not generally placed in buffer rooms.

For more FAQ’s, click here or contact Mr. Buchanan.