Bill > H3995

This bill proposes to add a new section to Chapter 111 of the General Laws, which will require the Department of Public Health to create regulations for the safe handling of hazardous drugs in healthcare facilities. Hazardous drugs are defined as those identified by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), or any drug that is carcinogenic, causes birth defects or developmental toxicity, harms reproduction, damages organs at low doses, damages genetic material, or is structurally similar to existing hazardous drugs. Antineoplastic drugs, which are used to treat cancer by controlling or killing cancer cells, are specifically included in this category. The regulations will be developed with input from healthcare facilities and personnel, and will consider a reasonable implementation timeline. They will align with NIOSH's 2004 alert and subsequent updates from the CDC, and the Department of Public Health will have the authority to establish enforcement procedures and penalties for non-compliance.