Contamination on the external surface of hazardous drug vials wrapped in Vial Protect Pack shrink tack labels

Purpose External contamination of hazardous drug vials poses significant risks of environmental contamination and occupational exposure. This study evaluated the effectiveness of Vial Protect Pack shrink-tack labels (VPP I and II) in preventing surface contamination on vials containing doxorubicin, paclitaxel, and gemcitabine. Methods A total of 150 vials from 14 production lots were tested: 60 doxorubicin vials (10 mg, 6 lots) with VPP I, 60 paclitaxel vials (30 mg/5 mL, 5 lots) with VPP II, and 30 gemcitabine vials (200 mg/5 mL, 3 lots) with VPP II. External vial surfaces were sampled using standardized wipe protocols and analyzed by liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry. Results All 150 vials showed contamination levels below the analytical detection limits, indicating no measurable drug residues on external vial surfaces across all drugs and production lots tested. No lot-to-lot variation was observed. Conclusion VPP shrink-tack labels maintained external contamination below analytical detection limits on all tested vials, demonstrating their effectiveness as an engineering control to reduce occupational exposure. Incorporating vials with validated contamination-control technology into hospital procurement policies may enhance healthcare worker protection and support safer compounding practices.