Nurses exposed to toxic drugs linked to miscarriage

Thousands of NHS workers who administer medicines such as chemotherapy are routinely supplied with inadequate PPE

- REBECCA THOMAS

Cancer nurses are being exposed to ‐hazardous‐ medicines linked to an increased risk of miscarriage and infertility because NHS trusts are failing to give them vital PPE, The Independent can reveal.

Tens of thousands of healthcare workers administer toxic drugs such as chemotherapy and treatments for rheumatoid arthritis, HIV and multiple sclerosis, but most are routinely provided with just a plastic apron and gloves as protection, an investigation by The Independent and Channel 4 News has found.

Nurses have revealed that they have suffered recurrent miscarriages, which they believe could be linked to working unprotected on cancer wards, while other staff have reported experiencing hair loss, nausea, dizziness and fatigue. Without adequate PPE, workers can be exposed to hazardous products either by breathing them in, through contact with contaminated surfaces or spills, or if a liquid is absorbed through the skin.

Last September, the NHS West Midlands Cancer Alliance published guidance warning that “inadequate control measures” could cause miscarriage, birth defects, liver damage, abnormal cell formation, abdominal pain, nasal sores and vomiting, while several studies have linked exposure to these drugs to infertility issues in healthcare workers.

In the United States, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued an alert to its healthcare workers over the risks posed by the drugs - but UK guidelines allow NHS trusts to provide the “bare minimum” of protection for workers. Now the UK regulator, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), is being urged to act and review the evidence concerning the health risks to staff.