Which USP Chapter focuses on safe handling methods for hazardous drugs?

The correct answer is B, Chapter 800, as this chapter specifically addresses the handling of hazardous drugs to protect both healthcare workers and patients. It provides guidelines on the safe management of these substances throughout their entire lifecycle, which includes their receipt, storage, preparation, administration, and disposal. Chapter 800 outlines essential practices such as the use of personal protective equipment (PPE), the requirement for designated areas for compounding, and procedures for decontamination and cleaning to minimize exposure risks.

Other chapters, such as Chapter 797, focus on sterile compounding practices in general, ensuring the sterility and quality of compounded sterile preparations, but do not specifically address hazardous drugs. Chapter 71 pertains to the testing of sterility, and Chapter 85 deals with microbiological quality, neither of which focus on the specific protocols necessary for handling hazardous drugs. Thus, Chapter 800 is crucial for anyone involved in the management and compounding of hazardous medications, emphasizing the importance of safety in the handling of these potentially dangerous substances.