ASCO/ONS Antineoplastic Therapy Administration Safety Standards

The American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) and ONS are conducting an ongoing collaborative project to use a rigorous, consensus-based process to develop standards for the safe administration of antineoplastic medications. Current ASCO/ONS standards address the safety of all routes of antineoplastic medication administration to adult and pediatric patients in all settings.

The ASCO/ONS Antineoplastic Therapy Administration Safety Standards for Adult and Pediatric Oncology are intended to reduce the risk of error when providing patients with antineoplastic therapy, and to provide a framework for best practices in cancer care. Your institution can use them to inform practice policies and procedures, internal quality assessment, and external quality monitoring.

View the 2024 standards.

View the 2016 standards.

View the 2013 standards.

View the 2011 revised standards.

View the original 2009 standards.

Background

In December 2008, ASCO and ONS held a workshop to develop a consensus regarding standards for the safe administration of chemotherapy to adult patients in the outpatient setting. Although relevant guidelines and policy statements existed (e.g., OSHA's Controlling Occupational Exposure to Hazardous Drugs, Chapter 2: Safe Handling of Chemotherapy Drugs, the ONS Chemotherapy and Biotherapy Guidelines and Recommendations for Practice, ASCO's Criteria for Facilities and Personnel for the Administration of Parenteral Systemic Antineoplastic Therapy), specific requirements to promote patient safety had not been well-defined by key stakeholders. The complexity of administration of antineoplastic agents and the potential safety issues involved are unique to oncology care and require careful consideration.

Methodology

A description of the ASCO/ONS Chemotherapy Administration Safety Standards process for development, consensus, and refinement, as well as a discussion of the standards and results, is available on the ASCO website.

Related Resources

• The Chemotherapy and Immunotherapy Guidelines for Practice (2^nd ed.) provides a broad scope of resources around antineoplastic medication administration.
• Position statements, including Education of the Registered Nurse Who Administers and Cares for the Individual Receiving Antineoplastic Therapies, Infusion of Antineoplastic Therapies in the Home, Fertility Preservation in Individuals with Cancer, and Ensuring Healthcare Worker Safety When Handling Hazardous Drugs provide support for nurses and institutions as they outline practice and develop policies.
• Medical surveillance programs are recommended to detect changes in the health status of those working with hazardous drugs. By using a thorough medical and occupational history questionnaire, you will gain a cost-effective way of monitoring employee health over time. In Safe Handling of Hazardous Drugs (Fourth Edition), ONS provides a sample medical surveillance questionnaire that you can adapt to your healthcare setting. Keep in mind that the questionnaire should be reviewed with workers to clarify and expand on responses that may impact their health.