The efficiency of protective gloves used in the handling of cytotoxic drugs

Abstract
A range of clinical and industrial gloves have been evaluated to determine their ability to exclude penetration by cytotoxic drugs. Radiolabelled cyclophosphamide, methotrexate, daunomycin, cytosine arabinoside, and vincristine sulphate were studied in an equilibrium dialysis system in which the glove material was used as the dialysis membrane. The thicker gloves were the most effective, but very little drug crossed any of the gloves tested under laboratory conditions. Further studies to evaluate gloves in conditions of clinical use are now needed.