Equashield II and Equashield Pro

Equashield’s closed system transfer device (CSTD), Equashield II, is designed to protect health care professionals from hazardous drug (HD) exposure while being fast to deploy and easy to use. Providing further efficiency and safety for pharmacy compounding, Equashield Pro is a closed-system-enabled automated pharmacy compounding system.

Featuring eight simultaneous workstations that enable a throughput of up to 60 doses per hour, the Pro is suitable for both high-volume patient-specific dose preparation and batch compounding. Proprietary dose verification and image processing software help reduce dosing and labeling errors. The Pro is compatible with all commercially available drug vials and IV bags and can detect air bubbles within the syringes to ensure dose accuracy. Its high capacity allows for the storage of more than 50 syringes and 70 drug vials, while its compact design, comparable in size to standard biological safety cabinets, allows it to easily integrate into hospital pharmacies.

• Equashield

HALO from Fresenius Kabi

HALO is a containment CSTD, as defined by NIOSH, containing no vents, valves, or filters. It provides air-tight and leak-proof protection for clinicians compounding and administering hazardous drugs. HALO delivers safety, allowing the components to be connected and disconnected up to 14 times without fluid or vapor exposure. Containing only six parts, it offers ease of use with a short learning curve and eliminates the need to stock proprietary parts.

The CSTD is ergonomically designed, having been created with the goal of reducing the repetitive motion injuries that can be associated with compounding and administering chemotherapy drugs. Clinicians can compound and administer HDs with less force and less twisting required, and simple push on/pull apart movements eliminate complex motions. The system is compatible with all commercially available hazardous drugs and associated solvents, bags, lines, syringes, and pumps.

• Fresenius Kabi US, LLC

BD PhaSeal Optima

The BD PhaSeal System is a CSTD designed to help protect the health care workers who prepare and administer HDs. Using feedback and guidance from health care professionals, its components have been optimized into the next-generation BD PhaSeal Optima System.

Offering ease of use, the system utilizes an intuitive, one-step, straight-push connection that does not require alignment or orientation, and its power grip follows NIOSH recommendations for ergonomics. With safety in mind, it incorporates the double membranes and vapor capture mechanisms used by the BD PhaSeal System, which has been demonstrated to help reduce the risk of HD exposure. Further, the system helps to reduce drug and fluid loss. Meeting the requirements of the NIOSH IPA draft CSTD-test protocol, it prevents microbial ingress for up to 168 hours and 10 penetrations.

• BD

OnGuard CSTD with Locking Syringe Adaptor from B. Braun Medical

The OnGuard CSTD, manufactured by Simplivia Healthcare and distributed by B. Braun Medical, is designed to prevent exposure to hazardous drugs during compounding and delivery. NIOSH recognizes the air-cleaning technology of CSTDs to prevent the escape of hazardous drugs into the work environment; OnGuard has undergone testing for vapor containment using chemotherapy drugs. Per USP Chapter <800>, CSTD use is recommended in the pharmacy, and required for the administration of hazardous drugs. As such, OnGuard can play a key role in USP <800> compliance planning.

• B. Braun Medical Inc